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PUSS JUNIOR 

AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


Books by 

DAVID CORY 

PUSS JUNIOR AND ROBINSON CRUSOE 
PUSS JUNIOR AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND THE GOOD GRAY HORSE 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND TOM THUMB 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND OLD MOTHER GOOSE 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., IN NEW MOTHER GOOSE LAND 
THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 
FURTHER ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jb. 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., IN FAIRYLAND 
TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 


HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK 
[Established 1817 ] 


Puss Junior 


and the Man in the Moon 



TWILIGHT TALES 

Harper & Brothers, Publishers 




Puss Junior 

and the Man in the Moon 


Copyright, 1922 
By Harper dr Brothers 
Printed in the U. S. A. 


First Edition 

I-W 


OCT -4 ’22 


I.AG86064 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Little Soapht Soapsuds 1 

Boots, Slippebs and Shoes 4 

Tommy Tittle Mouse 8 

One to Ten 11 

I Love Little Pussy 14 

Story-Telling 17 

Another Story 20 

Boy Scouts 23 

Old Naggety Nogg 26 

A Big Bully 30 

Hungry People 33 

A Fat Smoker 37 

Strange Steeds * 42 

Peep, Peep 45 

My Bonnie Cravat 48 

Master Teague 51 

The Little Hen 54 

A Beanstalk Tale 57 

A Narrow Escape 60 

Cinderella 63 

A Little Glass Slipper 66 

Little Nannie Ettigoat 69 

Look Before You Open 72 

The Toad Prisoner 75 

Dr. Austen 79 

Trouble A-Plenty 83 

A Royal Welcome 88 

Puss, Junior, Makes a Speech 91 


v 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Puss Travels to Babylon 95 

The Goose Ship 98 

Sky-Riding 101 

Robin Hood . 104 

On the Wing 107 

Sky Pilots 110 

Green Cheese 113 

Back to Earth 117 

Sweeping Cobwebs Off the Sky 122 

Puss, Junior, Asks Questions 125 

Mother Goose House 128 

Puss Wins a Race 131 


vi 


PUSS JUNIOR 

AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

















LITTLE SOAPHY SOAPSUDS 


W HEN little Soaphy Soapsuds 
It’s very sad to tell — 

Was leaning from her window 
Into the street she fell. 

She slowly drifted down and down. 

In colors gay and bright. 

Until she hit a trolley car. 

And then she busted quite. 

And this happened in Soapbubble Town, 
New Mother Goose Land, And wasn’t it 
strange, Puss, Junior, was on the trolley car, 
the very trolley car on which little Soaphy 
fell. You see, our little traveler had left his 
good gray horse in the country, for he had 
gone lame, and so Puss was obliged to con- 
tinue his journey on foot. 

But after a while he had come to the trolley 
line and had boarded a car, and when he 
reached Soapbubble Town little Soaphy 
Soapsuds and all her neighbors were leaning 
out of windows to see the son of the famous 
Puss in Boots. 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“Oh, dear me,” sighed Puss, Junior, “Little 
Soaphy Soapsuds has come to the same sad 
end that Humpty Dumpty did.” And then 
on went the trolley car with our little traveler, 
and by and by they came to the end of the 
line, where Puss got off. 

Of course he was now in the country, and 
there were few houses to be seen, but Puss 
was used to lonely roads and deep forests, 
so he trudged along whistling a merry tune, 
for he knew how to whistle by this time as 
well as a canary bird. And after a while he 
came to a stile, and there stood a funny little 
man with a fishing pole. 

“Good-day, Mr. Fisherman,” cried Puss, 
touching his cap like a soldier. The little 
man looked up and smiled. “And how is my 
good Sir Cat?” he cried, and then he took a 
little silver fish out of his pocket and handed 
it to Puss. 

“Cats are fond of fish, I know for certain,” 
laughed the funny little fisherman. 

“You are right, my good sir,” said Puss, 
“and with your kind permission I will eat 
this tender little whale,” and in a few minutes 
Puss had wiped his whiskers with his pocket- 
handkerchief, which goes to show you that 


LITTLE SOAPHY SOAPSUDS 


the little whale had disappeared down our 
small traveler’s throat. 

“And now whither are you bound?” asked 
the fisherman. 

“I am on my way to find my father, the 
famous Puss in Boots,” answered Puss. 

“Come with me,” said the little man, “for 
we can talk while we walk, and that will make 
the miles seem shorter.” So Puss went along 
with his new friend and in the next story you 
shall hear about the old woman who kept a 
boot shop. 


BOOTS, SLIPPERS AND SHOES 


OU remember in the last story how Puss, 



X Junior, had met a funny little fisherman 
who had given him a little whale to eat, and 
then how they both had traveled along to- 
gether. Well, after they had gone for sev- 
eral miles they came to a little village. And 
then, all of a sudden, a little bird began to 
sing — that same little bird you know is always 
singing these New Mother Goose Melodies: 


There was an old woman 
Who kept a fine store, 


Where she sold boots and slippers 


And shoes by the score. 


“Ha, ha!” laughed Puss, Junior, and “He, 
he!” roared the little fisherman, and then the 
old woman came out of her house under the 
hill and asked them what they were laughing 
about. And this so startled the two that they 
couldn’t answer at once, which made the old 
woman angry. 


4 


BOOTS, SLIPPERS AND SHOES 



? T)on’t you laugK at me,” she cried, rais- 
ing her crutch and pointing it at them, “don’t 
you laugh at me!” 


5 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“We are not laughing at you,” cried Puss. 
“We were only laughing at the song the 
little bird sang.” 

“What song was that?” asked the old 
woman, and she lowered her crutch. 

“Why, didn’t you hear it?” asked Puss, 
but the old woman again said she had not, 
so Puss changed the subject and asked her 
if she could direct him to the Castle of my 
Lord of Carabas. 

“I am the son of Puss in Boots, who is 
Seneschal to my Lord.” 

“And why, then, do you not know the 
road?” asked the old woman. “You are a 
fine son not to know his way home. Even 
a prodigal knows that.” 

“I do not wonder that you ask me,” re- 
plied little Puss, Junior, gently, “but I have 
never traveled before in New Mother Goose 
Land, and therefore I do not know my way.” 

“And where have you been traveling, may 
I inquire?” scowled the old woman, for I 
verily believe she thought Puss was trying to 
deceive her. 

“In Old Mother Goose Country and part 
of Fairy Land,” replied Puss, Junior, and he 
looked so honest as he spoke that the old 
6 


BOOTS, SLIPPERS AND SHOES 

woman changed at once. She leaned forward 
and patted him on the back. 

“My dear Puss, Junior, it’s a long journey, 
from here, but a brave heart and a stout 
pair of legs will take you there. Never fear. 
Follow this road over the hill and then take 
the one to your right when you reach the 
valley.” 

“I will go with you as far as the cross 
roads,” said the fisherman, and then he and 
Puss said good-by and went on their way, 
Puss to find his dear father and the little 
fisherman to take home his basket of fish to 
his wife and family, 

2 


TOMMY TITTLE MOUSE 


T RAVELING in a strange country like 
New Mother Goose Land was not an 
easy thing, and Puss, Junior, had need of a 
brave heart to keep him going. Everything 
was so different from Old Mother Goose 
Country, although he always expected to 
find the old familiar friends and nursery 
melodies. 

Well, after he had said good-by to the 
fisherman at the crossroads, as I told you in 
the last story, Puss kept bravely on, and by 
and by he came to a little wooden house under 
a clump of trees. And then, do you know, 
that same little bird who is always singing 
these New Mother Goose Melodies began to 
twitter and the words of his song were these : 

Little Tommy Tittle Mouse 
Lives in a funny house, 

In the corner of the floor 
He has a round hole for a door. 

So Puss pushed open the door of the little 
wooden house and peeked in. At the other 
8 


TOMMY TITTLE MOUSE 

end of the room, for the front door didn’t 
open into a hall, you know, Puss could dimly 
see a little mouse sitting up on his hind legs., 
“Helloa, Mr. Tittle Mouse,” said Puss, 
Junior, for he didn’t mean to try to catch 
him and didn’t care a snap if timid old Mr. 



Tittle Mouse was so frightened that he 
jumped into his hole in the corner of the 
room and told Mrs. Tittle Mouse he had seen 
a giant robber cat, with boots and spurs and 
sword and plume and, well, everything else 
that a bold robber might wear. 

9 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

And this made the lady mouse very curi- 
ous, so she peeked out of the hole. 

“I won’t hurt you,” laughed Puss, who 
had sat down on a chair to rest his tired legs. 
“I’m a traveler and am seeking my famous 
father, Puss in Boots. So cheer up, my little 
mice, for Puss, Junior, never harms any one 
except in self-defense.” 

Pretty soon he fell fast asleep. When he 
woke up Mrs. Tittle Mouse said in a high, 
squeaking voice: “Maybe I can direct you 
to your father’s house. I lived at the Castle 
of my Lord of Carabas before I married Mr. 
Tittle Mouse, and a grand place it is, and a 
grand cat is your father, the illustrious Puss 
in Boots, Seneschal to my Lord and Lady 
Carabas.” After this long speech the little 
mouse coughed and smiled at Puss, who 
bowed politely. 

“It is a difficult road from here,” continued 
Mrs. Mouse, “for New Mother Goose Coun- 
try, while it has all the up-to-date methods, 
does not offer to us animals the loving care 
which we received from dear Old Mother 
Goose.” As she finished speaking a loud 
knocking was heard at the door, but who it 
was I must tell you in the next story. 

10 


ONE TO TEN 


W ELL, as I told you in the last story, 
there came a loud knocking at the 
door of the little wooden house where Mr. 
Tommy Tittle Mouse lived and where you 
remember. Puss, Junior, was making a call 
in order to find out how best to reach his 
famous father, Puss in Boots. 

Then the knocking became louder and 
louder, and the parrot in the cage by the win- 
dow pulled the curtains to one side and 
peeked out. And then she turned and said: 

“One, two Here is Lou, 

Three, four At the door. 

Five, six In a fix 

Seven, eight Let him wait. 

Nine, ten He’ll knock again.” 

Of course, Puss, Junior, had come inside 
the room and, like a well-behaved cat, had 
closed the door after him, and I suppose it 
had one of those clicking locks so that no one 
could open it from the outside unless he had 
a key. And then, just as the parrot said, the 
knocking commenced again. 

11 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“Shall I open the door?” asked Puss, but 
Mrs. Tittle Mouse began to scream. 

“No, No! Don’t you know who Lou is?” 
Of course Puss didn’t, and why should any 
one expect him to know Lou in New Mother 
Goose Land. Don’t you know how some 
people are always asking you if you don’t 
know Mr. This and Mr. That or Mrs. That 
and Mrs. This? 

“Lou is the pussy cat who lives next door,” 
whispered Mrs. Mouse, “and we never let 
her in for fear she might eat us. Even Polly 
Parrot is afraid of her. Yes, we have to be 
very careful, for now-a-days there are spies 
on every hand. Why, for a week or more an 
old owl sat outside the window watching Mr. 
Tittle Mouse every time he came out of his 
doorway.” 

Well, after a while the knocking stopped, 
and then Mrs. Tittle Mouse told Puss, Junior, 
how to reach his father’s castle, and Puss 
promised her in return that he would go to 
the house next door and persuade Lou, the 
pussy cat, to let the Tittle Mouse family 
alone. So he went across the little lawn that 
separated the two houses and knocked on the 
door of Lou’s house. 


12 


ONE TO TEN 


And in a few minutes it was opened by a 
very nice looking lady cat. In fact, Puss 
thought she was quite charming, and in re- 
turn she thought Puss, Junior, the hand- 
somest cat she had ever laid eyes on. 

And I have no doubt he was, for his cap 
and feathered plume were most becoming, 
and his high red-topped boots, with their sil- 
ver spurs, made him look like a soldier— and 
everybody loves a soldier. 


I LOVE LITTLE PUSSY 


Y OU remember in the last story that 
Puss, Junior, was making a call on the 
Pussy Cat who lived next door to Mr. Tittle 
Mouse. Well, after Puss, Junior, had taken 
a seat in the sitting room, he said in a gentle 
voice: 

“I love little Pussy 
Her coat is so warm, 

It’s soft and so glossy 
And just fits her form. 

She uses her tail 
As a muff for her feet, 

And always she’s cleaning 
Her face to be neat.” 

This pleased Miss Pussy so much that she 
brought out some cake and cream, and didn’t 
Puss, Junior, have a lovely feast? And after 
he had made her promise not to hurt Mr. 
Tittle Mouse, he started off again on his jour- 
ney to find his father, and by and by, as he 
was trudging along a dusty road, he came to 
a spring, and as he was thirsty he took a drink 
and then sat down to rest. 


14 


I LOVE LITTLE PUSSY 

And while he sat there a big hay wagon 
drove by, and when the farmer saw our small 
traveler, he called out, “Don’t you want to 
ride with me?” Of course Puss did, and up 
he jumped on the seat beside him and then 



the farmer said “Git-ap!” to the horses and 
away they went. 

“I’m surprised that you haven’t an auto- 
mobile hay wagon,” said Puss. “In New 

15 



PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

Mother Goose Land everything is so up-to- 
date.” 

“I have one,” laughed the farmer, “but it 
is in the shop for repairs, so I brought out 
the old wagon to-day, and well, here you are 
and here I am,” and then he said “Git-ap!” 
and flicked a fly off the bay horse with the 
tip of the whip. 

“I like old things best,” sighed Puss. 
“You know, I’ve had a harder time in New 
Mother Goose Land to find my dear father, 
the famous Puss in Boots, than in Old Mother 
Goose Country. You see, for a long, long 
time Mother Goose herself took me with her 
on her Gander. Then, too, I had a good gray 
horse who carried me faithfully for many, 
many miles.” 

“Cheer up, my friend,” said the farmer. 
“What you need just now is a good supper 
and a night’s rest. After that you’ll feel like 
a new cat. You shall come home with me.” 

“Thank you,” said Puss, Junior, and he 
cuddled up to the kind farmer, and, would 
you believe it? he was soon fast asleep, and 
he never woke up until he heard the farmer’s 
wife open the kitchen door and ask: “John, 
where did you get such a cute cat?” 

16 


STORY-TELLING 


1TTELL, the farmer’s wife carried Puss, 
▼ V Junior, into the house while the 
farmer unhitched the horses and put them in 
the barn. And, of course, Puss woke up and 
looked around, for he had forgotten that he 
had fallen asleep on the seat of the old hay 
wagon, as I told you in the last story, and had 
only waked up when the farm horses stopped 
at the farmhouse and the good-natured farmer 
had called out, “Mary, come and see what I 
have here!” And, of course, his voice woke 
up our small traveler. 

As soon as Puss had smoothed himself and 
curled his whiskers, and the farmer had re- 
turned from the barn, supper was ready, and 
after that was over, they all sat in the sitting 
room around the table where a big lamp made 
everything bright and cosy. And then Puss 
told a story, one of his adventures, and as he 
was now quite accustomed to story-telling, 
he wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. 


17 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“One day,” he began, after curling his 
mustache and crossing his right leg over the 
left, “one day, in Old Mother Goose Land 
before I crossed the border and came to this 
country, I was traveling with my good, little 
comrade, Tom Thumb. He was a most in- 
teresting little fellow, for he had been at the 
Court of King Arthur, and had met many 
royal persons. Well, as I was saying, Tom 
Thumb and I were traveling together when 
we came to a deep wood. And after we had 
gone for some distance we came across the 
Fairy Queen, who told us to be careful of a 
wicked witch who had shut up a beautiful 
maiden in a gloomy tower. 

“Well, as both Tom Thumb and I were 
anxious for adventure, we thanked the Fairy 
Queen and hastened on, determined to find 
the tower and rescue the maiden. By and 
by we heard a voice, saying, ‘Rapunsel, let 
down thy hair!’ So we crept forward and 
presently saw an old witch standing at the 
foot of a high tower. In a few moments a 
coil of beautiful golden hair came down and 
the wicked witch climbed up to a little 
window. 

“Tom and I waited patiently until the 
18 


STORY-TELLING 

wicked witch came down and went away. 
Then we stood at the foot of the tower and 
called to Papunsel, for this was the beautiful 
maiden’s name, to let down her hair, and when 
she did we climbed up. You can imagine 
how happy she was when we told her we 
would rescue her. 

“Just then we heard the voice of the wicked 
witch, so we hid in the closet.” 

At this point Puss stopped, for it was late. 
“I will finish my story to-morrow,” said our 
little traveler, and then they all went to bed, 
as you who read this story must, but to-mor- 
row I promise to tell you more about Puss, 
Junior, and his travels. 


ANOTHER STORY 


Y OU remember in the last story I left off 
at the place where Puss, Junior, had 
said good-night to the farmer and his wife, 
because it was so late and he didn’t want to 
sit up any longer to finish his story of adven- 
ture. Well, the next evening after supper 
he commenced where he had left off. He 
was telling them about Rapunsel and how 
the wicked witch had carried her away to the 
desert. 

“Of course,” said Puss, Junior, “when 
Tom Thumb and I reached the woods after 
climbing down from the tower, we looked in 
vain for Rapunsel. By and by we heard a 
footstep, and whom should we come across 
but the Prince who was in love with her. But, 
alas ! the poor fellow had lost his eyesight. 

“You see, when the wicked witch had dis- 
covered him in the tower with Rapunsel, he 
had leaped from the tower into a bramble 
patch and had lost his sight. 

20 


ANOTHER STORY 


“Well, as I was saying, as soon as we came 
up to the poor blind Prince he turned to us 
and said : ‘Have you seen my beloved Rapun- 
sel?’ ‘We are seeking her ourselves/ I 
answered, and then I told him about the 
wicked witch, and after that we three set out 
together to find the lost Rapunsel, and after 
many days of travel we came to a desert. 

“Tom Thumb, who had wandered off some 
distance, suddenly shouted, ‘I see camels ap- 
proaching. Let us wait. Perhaps they will 
carry us across this sandy sea!’ 

“After a while the camels drew near and 
we saw there were three, one for each of us, 
and when they came up to where we waited 
they knelt down for us to mount, which we 
did, after lifting up Tom Thumb, for he was 
so small he could not look over a toadstool. 
Then we set out to cross the desert. The 
sun beat down and burned our faces and the 
sand blew and blinded our eyes, but still we 
pressed forward, and after a long time we 
came in sight of an oasis. 

“As we drew near the cluster of palm trees 
we saw a woman standing on the edge of the 
sand looking toward us. And no sooner had 
we come up to where she stood than she gave 
21 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

a cry of joy, and the Prince, on hearing her 
voice, shouted ‘Rapunsel! Rapunsel!’ 

“Then he leaped from off his camel and 
folded her in his arms. Rapunsel was so 
happy at finding her Prince that tears of joy 
fell from her eyes, and some of these touched 
his eyes and made them well again. 

“Then we mounted the camels and made 
off toward the castle, which we reached in 
safety that evening.” 


BOY SCOUTS 


T HE next morning, Puss, Junior, bid the 
kind farmer and his wife good-by and 
started off once more to find his dear father. 
Puss in Boots. 

He was still on foot, for as I told you in 
the first story of this book, the Good Gray 
Horse was in the country with a sprained 
ankle. Neither was Goosey Goosey Gander 
there to carry our little pussy cat traveler on 
his back. He had gone to make dear Old 
Mother Goose a visit. So now you can un- 
derstand why Puss, Junior, is traveling on 
foot. 

Well, by and by, as he made his way 
through this wonderful New Mother Goose 
Country, he met a little Boy Scout. And, 
then, all of a sudden, one thing after another 
happened so quickly that I must hurry to tell 
you before everything is all over: 

One little Boy Scout beating a tattoo! 

A little comrade heard the call — then there were two. 

3 


23 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


Two little Boy Scouts climbing up a tree. 

Along came another one — then there were three. 

Three little Boy Scouts standing by the door; 

Running out they met a Scout — then there were four. 

Four little Boy Scouts in the water dive! 

Another one swam up to them — then there were five. 

Five little Boy Scouts doing lots of tricks; 

Their captain shouted “Shoulder arms !” Then there were six. 

Six little Boy Scouts looking up to heaven; 

An airship brought another down — then there were seven. 

Seven little Boy Scouts got to school quite late; 

They found a scholar in the room — then there were eight. 

Eight little Boy Scouts dressed up very fine; 

They caught a little colored one — then there were nine. 

Nine little Boy Scouts chased a speckled hen; 

They bumped into another Scout — then there were ten. 

Ten little Boy Scouts yelling “Hip, hurrah!” 

This is all there is to tell — these are all there are ! 

“Come on, boys!” cried Puss. “Follow 
me!” And he waved his sword and all the 
little boys marched after him until they came 
to the village, where there was a recruiting 
station. And when the general saw Puss, 
Junior, at the head of the ten little Bov 

•j 

Scouts, he said: “You shall be a major, my 
dear Puss, Junior.” 

“My father, the famous Puss in Boots, is 
Major Domo to my Lord of Carabas,” re- 

24 


BOY SCOUTS 


plied our little hero, saluting the general. 
“And he will be delighted to learn that I am 
a major also!” 

This made the general laugh, for of course 
it wasn’t the same thing at all, you know. But 
what’s the difference, anway? And who 
cares? for in New Mother Goose Land every- 
body is as happy as can he unless they do 
something wrong, when, of course, they are 
not. 

But very few hoys and girls do wrong, 
which makes it a lovely place to live in, and I 
suppose when you little boys and girls who 
read this story are grown up you will tell your 
children, just as I am telling you, about this 
New Mother Goose Land which little Puss, 
Junior, has discovered. 


OLD NAGGETY NOGG 


N OW let me see what our dear little 
pussy cat did after leaving the ten Boy 
Scouts whom he met in the last story. Of 
course he kept on traveling, for he was 
anxious to find his dear father, the famous 
Puss in Boots. And so would anyone who 
had lost his kind father, let me tell you. 

Well, by and by, along in the late after- 
noon, as the sun went down behind the hill, 
little Puss, Junior, saw an old white horse 
hitched to a milk wagon. He was quietly 
standing by the roadside resting from a hard 
day’s work. 

So Puss stopped and talked to him, hoping 
that the milkman would soon come along and 
offer to take him home for the night. But, 
dear me, Puss waited and waited until finally 
he said: 

“I don’t believe I’d better wait any longer. 
I’m afraid your master will be a long time in 
coming.” 

“Maybe, but he’ll come all right,” replied 
the old milk horse. “He always does.” 
“Well, I’ll wait a few minutes longer,” said 
26 


OLD NAGGETY NOGG 


Puss, stroking the old horse’s pink-white 
nose. 

“There he is!” cried the old horse. 



Puss looked up into the gathering dusk 
and saw a man approaching. But he evi- 
dently did not see Puss, for he stepped on the 
hub of the wheel and got into the seat, and 
27 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

picking up the lines, cried: “Git-ap, old 
Naggety Nogg!” 

“Whoa!” cried Puss. “Won’t you give me 
a ride? It’s so dark I’ll lose my way.” 

The milkman looked down from his seat 
at Puss. “All right, Sir Cat,’ he laughed, 
“climb up, and I’ll take you home to my 
good wife.” 

Puss did as he was bid, and in a moment 
was seated beside his new friend. 

“Git-ap!” cried the milkman, and then 
turning to Puss, he whispered, “Listen, and 
you’ll hear old Naggety Nogg sing as he jogs 
along.” 


“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

I’m not afraid of the bark of a dog. 

“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

I’m not afraid of the croak of a frog. 

“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

I know a toad from a pollywog. 

“Jockety, jog, jockety jog! 

I’ll not stumble over that log. 

“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

Over the hills and over the bog.” 


“He’s a fine old horse,” said the milkman. 
“Do you know, Sir Cat, that he has as much 
intelligence as a man? He brought me home 
28 


OLD NAGGETY NOGG 


one night, one stormy night, through a 
strange country and over a lonely road.” 

“Yes; he told me about it,” said Puss. “I 
like him better than any horse I ever met, 
even my own horse, my good gray horse that 
I once owned.” 

“We’re getting near home,” said the milk- 
man. “Do you see that little light way, way 
yonder, through the trees?” 

“Yes,” said Puss. 

“That’s a candle in the sitting room win- 
dow,” said the milkman. “My little wife 
always puts it there to show me where home 
is.” Just then the old horse commenced to 
sing again: 

“J ockety jog, jockety jog! 

Safe home through all the fog. 

“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

Safe home, Reuney K. Rogg. 

“Jockety jog, jockety jog! 

Safe home, old Naggety Nogg.” 


A BIG BULLY 


AFTER he had eaten his breakfast at 
JLjL the farmhouse, Puss again started off 
in search of his dear father. By and by a 
man on horseback came riding by. 

“John Cook had a little gray mare. 

He, haw hum! 

Her back stood up and her bones they were bare, 

He, haw hum! 

John Cook was riding up Shutter’s Bank, 

He, haw hum! 

And there his nag did kick and prank. 

He, haw hum!” 

All this took place so suddenly that Puss 
had barely time to escape the heels of the 
little mare. But, goodness! how John Cook 
did swear! He beat his mare with whip and 
spur. He was most cruel hard on her. And 
this made Puss, Junior, furious and he drew 
his sword and commanded John Cook to 
stop. But all of a sudden, just as 

“John Cook was riding up Shutter’s Hill, 

He, haw hum ! 

His mare fell down and she made her will. 

He, haw hum!” 

30 


A BIG BULLY 


And after that: 

“The bridle and saddle were laid on the shelf. 

He, haw hum! 

If you want any more you may sing it yourself ! 

He, haw hum!” 

said John Cook, angrily, coming out of the 
stable door, for Puss had followed him up the 
hill, so angry that he had a good mind to teach 
him a lesson for being so cruel. 

“Bah!” exclaimed Puss, Junior. “You are 
a brave man to beat a little mare. Very 
brave indeed, Come out here and I will cross 
swords with you; that is, if a big hulking 
swain like you knows what a sword is!” 

“Scat!” yelled John Cook, but before he 
could repeat his insulting word, Puss pinked 
the big bully in the leg with his sword. 
“Stand and fight, you coward!” cried Puss, 
his whiskers bristling with anger and his tail 
as big around as a rolling pin. But John 
Cook had fled. He had run into the barn and 
barred the door. 

“He, he!” laughed a big red rooster. “A 
brave man that! He runs at the prick of a 
pin!” and he gave a loud cock-a-doodle-do, 

31 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


“I dare you to come out,” called Puss, but 
John Cook was no warrior; he was just what 
his name implies; he could beat an egg or 
mash a potato, but nothing more. 


HUNGRY PEOPLE 


» soon as the cowardly John Cook was 



JT\, out of the way, the big red rooster 
walked with Puss, Junior, down the road for 
some distance. Then they both sat down on 
a low stone wall and Puss related a story 
about a hen who hatched out ducklings and 
a duck who hatched out chickens, and then 
how everything came out all right when they 
first changed the children from one to the 
other. And while they sat there who should 
come by but little Tom Thumb and a Black- 


bird. 


Well, as Puss, Junior, had just finished 
his story, he got up and stretched himself. 
Then he shook hands with the rooster and 
said, “We must be going now, for we have 
many miles to travel.” 

“That’s right,” cried the Blackbird, flap- 
ping his wings, as Tom Thumb climbed up 
on Puss, Junior’s, shoulder. 

“Good-by, Mr. Rooster!” and our three 


33 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

small travelers went down the road, leaving 
the rooster perched on the stone fence, look- 
ing wistfully after them. 

“Howdy do,” said Puss as a small toad 
jumped across the highway. 

“Croak,” said the toad, “I’m hungry, I think, 

To-day I’ve had nothing to eat or to drink; 

I’ll crawl to a garden and jump through the pales, 

And there I’ll dine nicely on slugs and on snails.” 



“That’s an easy way to get one’s dinner,” 
cried the Blackbird; I could eat a slug or a 
snail myself.” “You don’t eat toads, do 
you?” asked the toad in an anxious tone. 

34 


HUNGRY PEOPLE 

“No, we don’t,” laughed Puss, Junior, 
tickling him with a straw. “Skip along, Mr. 
Hoptoad, and get your dinner; you might 
show my friend the Blackbird a slug or two, 
he’s half starved, I imagine.” Before the 
Toad had time to hop away, a big frog 
jumped out of a pool and stood up beside 
Tom Thumb. 

“I’m taller than you,” he croaked. 

“You’ll have to eat a good dinner and grow 
some more,” answered Tom Thumb. 

“Ho, ho!” quoth the frog, “is that what you mean? 

Then I’ll hop away to the next meadow stream; 

There I will drink, and eat worms and slugs too. 

And then I shall have a good dinner like you.” 

As he finished speaking, the frog turned to 
Puss, Junior, and asked, “How are you, Sir 
Cat? Come with me to the brook and I’ll 
show you how to catch some fine fish.” 

“I will come with you, Mr. Frog,” replied 
Puss, Junior, as the Blackbird flew after Mr. 
Toad. On reaching the brook, little Tom 
Thumb poked his head out of Puss, Jun- 
ior’s, pocket. “It seems everybody is getting 
something to eat except me.” 

“Don’t you like fish?” asked the Frog. 

“When it’s cooked,” answered Tom Thumb. 


35 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“But I don’t see much chance of fried fish. 
As I said before, everybody will have dinner 
except me. The Blackbird and Mr. Toad 
will dine on snails and slugs, and you and 
Puss, Junior, will feast on fish, while poor 
Tom Thumb can suck his thumb and look 
on. 

“Don’t worry, little comrade,” replied 
Puss, Junior, “let me get a meal of fish and 
I’ll promise you a fine supper.” 


A FAT SMOKER 


W HILE I was writing the last story, 
what do you suppose happened. Why, 
the Good Gray Horse came galloping by 
and as soon as he spied Puss, Junior, he 
stopped just like that, he was so glad to see 
his little master. 

“There’s a bag of cookies tied to my 
saddle,” he said, which delighted Tom 
Thumb, who, you remember, was afraia he 
might get nothing to eat. 

As soon as Puss and Tom Thumb were 
seated on the Good Gray Horse, he set off 
at a good clip, the Blackbird flying just over- 
head, but Mr. Frog and Mr. Toad knew 
better than to leave their quiet home in the 
green meadow. 

By and by they heard someone singing : 

“There was a fat man of Bombay, 

Who was smoking one sunshiny day; 

When a bird called a snipe 
Flew away with his pipe, 

Which vexed the fat man of Bombay.” 

ST 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 



“It’s too bad,” said Puss, Junior, gazing 
down at the angry fat man of Bombay. “If 
I catch the snipe I’ll give you back your 
pipe.” 

“Don’t you smoke?” asked the man. 

38 


A FAT SMOKER 


“No,” said Puss, “but why do you ask?” 

“I was only thinking,” said the man, “that 
if you ever did catch that rascally snipe, and 
you didn’t know where I was, you could keep 
the pipe.” 

“Well, that is very generous of you,” said 
Tom Thumb. Just then who should come 
by but the Pig Without a Wig. 

“I don’t believe that snipes care for 
smoking. I think he took it because his name 
rhymes with pipe. 

“Do you really?” said the Bombay man, 
somewhat relieved. “Perhaps he was only 
playing a joke.” 

“Maybe it will make him sick,” said the 
pig, taking off his hat and scratching his 
head. 

“My goodness!” exclaimed the Bombay 
man, “but you’re bald.” 

“I know it,” said the Pig with a flush, 
quickly putting on his hat, “I’ve just ordered 
a wig at the barber’s.” 

“If you ever come to India,” said the fat 
man from Bombay, “you must come to see 
me. By that time I shall have a new pipe.” 

Just then the Blackbird shouted: “I have 
found your pipe! I tried to lift it, but it’s 

4 39 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

too heavy. Come with me and I will show 
you where it is.” 

“Don’t fly so fast,” cried the fat man from 
Bombay, “I can’t run like a deer nor fly like 
a bird.” 

And wasn’t he delighted to find his pipe? 
Well, I just guess he was. And, although 



he was all out of breath from running, 
he at once lighted it and commenced to 
puff. He couldn’t help puffing anyway, so I 
suppose he thought he might as well puff 
on his pipe. 

“Farewell, my friend,” cried Puss, Junior, 

40 


A FAT SMOKER 


“now that you have your pipe, I will con- 
tinue searching for, my dear father!” and 
off he rode with little Tom Thumb on the 
Good Gray Horse. And the Blackbird? 
Oh, yes, of course. He went home to his 
wife, and the Pig Without a Wig stopped 
on his way to the office at the barber shop to 
try on his new wig. 


STRANGE STEEDS 


“T ITTLE fishie in the brook, 

I J Pussy catch him with a hook; 

Then we’ll fry him in a pan, 

Tom Thumb eat him like a man,” 

sang Puss, Junior, leaning over the brook and 
keeping a sharp lookout for a fish. But I 
guess every little fish heard him, for not 
one came anywhere near the bank, and Puss 
at last grew tired and disgusted. 

Tom Thumb, who had crept out of his 
pocket, sat close by, feeling very hungry. 
A big Bull Frog had already eaten his sup- 
per. Half a dozen flies were safely tucked 
away under his yellow waistcoat, so he was 
feeling quite satisfied with everything. 

“Tom,” said Puss, Junior, coming over to 
where little Tom sat on a toadstool, “I’m a 
poor fisherman; let us seek a place to eat 
and sleep. Toads and frogs seem to have an 
easy time getting their food, but for us it’s 
most difficult.” 


42 


STRANGE STEEDS 


Tom seemed to think this a good idea, so 
they both said good-by to the Frog and set 
out once more. The Blackbird was nowhere 
in sight, so they just left him behind. If he 
couldn’t come back in time, it was his own 
fault. 

It was now growing dark, and it was time 



to be indoors, as well as at a supper table. 
On and on they trudged, keeping a sharp 
lookout for a house. At last, they came 
across a little hut. There was no light in the 
window, so Puss pushed open the door. 

43 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


“High diddle doubt, my candle’s out! 

My little maid is not at home! 

Saddle my hog and bridle my dog, 

And fetch my little maid home,” 

shouted a little man who was seated at a table. 

“Will you give us a good supper if we 
do?” said Puss. 

“That I will,” answered the queer little 
man. 

“Very well, then,” replied Puss, “Tom and 
I are ready. Show us your hog and show 
us your dog, and we’ll ride away and fetch 
your little maid home.” 

The queer little man then led them around 
to the rear of the hut. In a little shed stood 
a very nice looking dog, which the queer 
little man bridled at once. Then he took 
down a saddle and placed it across the back 
of the fat hog, who was in a pen next to the 
shed. 

“Now, who will ride the dog?” asked the 
queer little man. 

“I will,” said Tom, so Puss jumped on the 
hog, and away they went. 


PEEP, PEEP 

O F course, a dog can run faster than a 
pig, and very soon Tom Thumb was 
far ahead of Puss, Junior, who, nevertheless, 
kept urging on his fat steed. The queer little 
man watched them until they disappeared; 
then he went into his house. 

Now the dog every once in a while put his 
nose to the ground so as not to lose the trail. 

“Do you think you can find the little 
maid?” asked Tom Thumb. 

“Leave that to me,” replied the dog, and 
he kept on at a good rate. Some distance 
behind them Tom could hear the pig panting 
and grunting as he tried to keep up. 

“Are you all right?” Tom Thumb called 
back to Puss, Junior. “Why don’t you ask 
me?” said the pig, “I’m the one that’s doing 
all the work.” 

Suddenly the dog turned up a lane and 
then stopped at the door of a pretty little 
white house, and as soon as Puss, Junior, 
arrived on his pig, they both dismounted and 
knocked on the door. 


45 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


The door opened and the light of the lamp 
on the table shone upon a funny little old 
woman. “What do you wish, my dears?” 
she asked, looking at Puss, Junior, and little 
Tom Thumb. 

“We’ve come to fetch the little maid who 



lives with the queer little old man whose can- 
dle always goes out,” said Puss, Junior. 

And just then a sweet voice from another 
room called out: “Tell them to wait, Grand- 
mother, please; I’ll be out in a minute.” 

So the old lady asked them in, but Puss 

46 


PEEP, PEEP 


said, “Pm afraid, ma’am, to leave the pig; 
he might run off.” 

And then Tom said: “I’m afraid my dog 
might run away, too.” So the old lady left 
the door open to make things more cheer- 
ful, as it was growing very dark and gloomy 
outside. 

And when the little maid appeared the dog 
harked and the pig grunted, and after that 
they all started off for the little maid’s home. 
And pretty soon she looked up to the sky 
and commenced to sing in a low voice: 

“I have a little sister; they call her Peep, Peep; 

She wades the water, deep, deep, deep; 

She climbs the mountains, high, high, high. 

Poor little thing! She has but one eye.” 

“She’s talking about that bright star,” said 
Puss, Junior. And the dog barked and the 
pig grunted, as if to say, “You are right, 
Mr. Puss, Junior.” 


MY BONNIE CRAVAT 


“Jeanie come tie my, 

Jeanie come tie my, 

Jeanie come tie my bonnie cravat; 

I’ve tied it behind, 

I’ve tied it before. 

And I’ve tied it so often I’ll tie it no more.” 



'HE queer little man stood in his door- 


X way singing this song as Puss, Junior, 
astride the pig, and Tom Thumb on the back 
of the dog, with the little maid walking be- 
tween, arrived at the gate of the queer little 
house. 

“No wonder you can’t tie your cravat,” 
said Jeanie; “your candle’s out and the house 
is dark,” and she ran indoors, leaving Puss 
and Tom to put the pig in his pen. As for 
the dog, he seemed perfectly able to look out 
for himself. 

“Didn’t we promise to bring your little 
maid home?” asked Puss after the pig was 
safe in the pen for the night. And the queer 
little man, who was standing perfectly still 
while Jeanie tied his long, flowing cravat, an- 
swered: “That you did, and you have done 


48 


MY BONNIE CRAVAT 

it!” And then he tried to look at Puss, but 
Jeanie held the ends of the cravat so tightly 
that he could scarcely move his head. 

“How about supper?” asked Tom Thumb. 
“That was part of the bargain. If we 



brought back Jeanie, we were to have sup- 
per.” 

“Now that I’ve tied the cravat, we will see 
about something nice to eat,” cried Jeanie. 
But when she went to the cupboard there was 
nothing left. “Who has been to the cup- 
board?” she cried in dismay. “Somebody 
has stolen the cake!” 


49 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

The queer little man jumped up in a hurry, 
while Puss and Tom looked at each other as 
much as to say, “No supper!” And just then 
an owl flew up to the window and called out : 
“A ragged man, all tattered and tom, is sit- 
ting under a tree in the wood eating cake. 
Where he got it I don’t know, but it might 
be yours.” And then the owl flew away, with 
a hoot-ti-toot. 

“Come, Tom,” cried Puss, Junior, “there’s 
work for us. Let’s capture the tramp.” 

“I will help you,” said the dog, and in a few 
minutes the three were stealing softly toward 
the wood. 

The moon was up, and threw a silver path 
along the grass, and as they looked about 
them they heard the owl hoot three times. 
And then, all of a sudden, they saw the man 
all tattered and torn. 


MASTER TEAGUE 


W HEN Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb 
looked closely at the man all tattered 
and torn, they saw he had a gun. It was 
carelessly thrown across his lap, but had not 
the moon shone brightly on the steel barrel 
our two small heroes would probably never 
have noticed it. 

“He is armed,” whispered Tom Thumb. 
“He has eaten our supper by this time,” 
replied Puss, “so what’s the use of bothering 
with him?” 

But, oh, dear me ! before Tom Thumb had 
time to reply the tramp looked their way. 
And when he saw them he said, “My name is 
Teague. What would you have?” Puss, 
remembering his Mother Goose, answered 
quickly: 

“Ho! Master Teague, what is your 
story?” 

“I went to the wood and killed a Tory; I 
went to the wood and killed another,” replied 
Master Teague, picking up his gun. 

51 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“Was it the same, or was it his brother?” 
asked Tom Thumb. And then Master 
Teague went on in his sing-song way to tell 
what he did with the poor, unfortunate Tory. 

“I hunted him in, and I hunted him out. 

Three times through the bog, about and about; 

When out of a bush I saw his head, 

So I fired my gun and shot him dead.” 

And then Master Teague swung his gun 
over his shoulder and marched up and down 
in the moonlight, and after a while he turned 
to look at Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb, 
but they were nowhere to be seen, for while 
Master Teague was reciting his adventures 
in rhyme, our two small travelers had thought 
it was a good time to disappear. 

Puss, Junior, had picked up Tom and put 
him in his pocket, and then had sped swiftly 
through the woods, and after he had run for 
about a mile he took Tom out of his pocket 
and sat down to rest. 

T don’t like the looks of Master Teague,” 
said Puss. 

“I don’t like the looks of his gun,” said 
Tom. 

“Two very good reasons for leaving,” said 
Puss. “But here we are, without supper, and 

52 


MASTER TEAGUE 


far away from any house. We might as well 
make a bed of leaves!” 

“Let’s go on a little further,” said Tom. 
So they once more resumed their journey, 
and presently through the trees they saw a 
little light, and pretty soon they came to a 
pretty little cottage. It was covered with 
creeping vines and from the small red chim- 
ney the smoke curled up through the trees 
like a long gray feather. 


THE LITTLE HEN 


5 soon as Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb 



jLJLhad knocked upon the front door of 
the pretty little cottage it was opened by a 
little yellow hen, who bowed and invited them 
in. By the light of the big open fire Puss, 
Junior, could see a little old man sitting at 
the farther end of the room. He was eating 
his supper, but on hearing the door open, 
asked in a thick, cracked voice, “Who is it?” 

“Puss in Boots, Junior, and Tom Thumb, 
Esq.,” replied our two small travelers. And 
then the little hen led them over to the table 
and said: 

“Grandfather, you see before you two 
famous characters.” 

“Sit down, my friends, and sup with me.” 

This was just what Puss and Tom most de- 
sired at that moment; they did as they were 
bid and presently they were enjoying a most 
delicious meal. Pretty soon the little old 
man said: 


54 


THE LITTLE HEN 


“I have a little hen, the prettiest ever seen, 

She washes me the dishes and keeps the house clean; 

She goes to the mill to fetch me some flour. 

She brings it home in less than an hour; 

She bakes me my bread, she brews me my ale. 

She sits by the fire and tells many a fine tale.” 

“What kind of stories does she tell?” asked 
Tom Thumb, crossing his small legs and gaz- 
ing into the fire, for he felt very comfortable 
just then, with a fine supper under his waist- 
coat. 

“Well, one of her stories,” said the little 
old man, drawing his chair up to the fire and 
sitting down between Puss, Junior, and Tom 
Thumb, “is about the giant and the bean- 
stalk. She’s the little hen that laid the golden 
eggs for the giant, you know.” 

And when he heard this Puss, Junior, 
jumped to his feet and ran over to the little 
hen, who was busy clearing the supper table. 
“Don’t you remember me?” he said. 

And the little hen replied, “Of course, I do. 
I have never forgotten what you did for me 
at the Giant’s House.” 

“And I sha’n’t forget how you met me at 
the top of the beanstalk and showed me the 
way to his castle,” replied Puss. 

“Come, come,” cried the little old man, 

5 55 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


“leave the supper dishes, you two. Come 
over to the fire and let us hear Puss, Junior, 
tell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.” 

So they all sat down and waited for Puss 
to commence. 


A BEANSTALK TALE 


P USS, JUNIOR, looked into the glow- 
ing fire for a few minutes before he 
commenced to tell of his adventure with the 
Giant of the Beanstalk. “I think the little 
Hen might tell something, too,”’ he said, as 
she flew up on the lap of the little old man. 
“She really knows more about the Giant than 
I do.” 

“All right,” said the little old man, strok- 
ing the bright yellow feathers of the little 
hen, “she’ll do her part, I’m sure. You just 
commence the story, Sir Cat, and let the rest 
take care of itself.” 

Then Puss settled himself comfortably 
back into his big armchair and commenced: 

“One fine morning I came to a modest 
little cottage, in the garden of which was 
growing an immense beanstalk reaching up 
and up until its top was hidden in the clouds. 
As I stopped to look at this wonderful thing, 
a sad-faced woman came to the door and 
asked if I had seen anything of her son Jack. 
57 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 



“I replied, ‘No, ma’am. Hasn’t he climbed 
down yet?’ ” 

“What!” she exclaimed, “did he climb up 
the beanstalk?” I told her I thought he had, 


and that if she would permit me I would 
climb up after him. It took me but a short 
time to reach the top, for I took off my boots 
and held them with my teeth, so as to climb 
the faster. 

“When I reached the top and looked about 

58 


A BEANSTALK TALE 


me I saw this little hen. She had just 
crawled out of a small thicket close by. 

“Do you remember what you said to me?” 
asked Puss, Junior, with a laugh. 

“Look out for the Giant, I’ll wager,” cried 
little Tom Thumb, who had grown very ex- 
cited over Puss, Junior’s, story. 

“No, I didn’t,” said the little hen. 

“Tell us what you did say, my dear,” said 
the little old man. 

“I made up a little rhyme: 

“To lay every day 
Is all work and no play,” 

said the little hen. 

“Then I asked her where Jack was,” said 
Puss, “and she told me to follow her and she 
would lead me to the castle. And as soon as 
we came into the room where the Giant was, 
the first thing he said was, ‘Lay, lay!’ ” 

“And I was so tired,” said the little hen, 
“that I asked him to let me off just once. 
But he wouldn’t. And then Puss, Junior, 
shook his staff at him and told him to let me 
alone, and the Giant laughed and said he 
would if Puss would tell him a story, which 
Puss agreed to do.” 


59 


A NARROW ESCAPE 


“IT TELL, did the Giant like your story?” 

V V asked the man. 

“I guess he did,” replied Puss, Junior. 
“But he did not keep his promise. He made 
the little hen lay a golden egg after I had 
gone to bed. You see, it was this way: I 
went upstairs and at midnight I crept down 
again to find Jack. But, oh, dear me ! There 
was the Giant fast asleep with the little hen 
held tight in his big hand. So I tiptoed into 
the kitchen and woke up Jack, who was sound 
asleep in a chair, and whispered to him that 
we must rescue the little hen. 

“ ‘How shall we begin?’ he asked, looking 
anxiously about, for he was terribly afraid of 
the Giant. 

“ Til pull her gently from under the 
Giant’s hand and give her to you,’ I said. 
‘Then you can run over to the beanstalk and 
climb down as fast as you can. The Giant 
will run after me, but if I can’t run faster 
than that great big clumsy fellow, he can 


A NARROW ESCAPE 


catch me!’ And then Jack and I crept back 
to the Giant’s room.” 

“Yes, I can see you now,” said the little 
hen, standing up on the old man’s lap and 
looking admiringly at Puss, Junior. “I 



never would have dared to crawl out from 
under the Giant’s hand, but you pulled me 
out so gently that it never woke him.” 

“How Jack did run!” laughed Puss, Jun- 
ior. “If he hadn’t tripped over a chair I don’t 
believe the old Giant would have waked up 
until morning. But when he heard the noise 
61 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

he opened his eyes and then he chased me all 
the way to the seashore, where he would have 
caught me if it hadn’t been for the owl with 
the pea green boat. I jumped aboard just 
in time and pushed off from the land. And 
then how that Giant did yell!” 

“How did you and Jack escape?” asked the 
little old man, turning to the little hen. 

“Oh, that was easy,” she replied. “Jack 
climbed down the beanstalk, and when the 
Giant was halfway down Jack took his moth- 
er’s ax and cut the beanstalk, and the Giant 
fell down and broke his neck.” 


CINDERELLA 



FTER the story of Jack and the Bean- 


stalk was finished, Puss, Junior, 
toasted his toes in front of the fire, and pretty 
soon the little old man began to snore, and 
this made Tom Thumb so sleepy that he, too, 
fell asleep. But the little yellow hen was 
wide awake and so was Puss, Junior, for 
they had become so excited in telling their 
adventures with the Giant that they didn’t 
feel the least bit sleepy. 

And just then the wind, which was blow- 
ing through the forest, came down the chim- 
ney and scattered the ashes all over the floor 
and some blew in the little old man’s face. 

“Botheration!” he exclaimed, waking up 
with a start. “My beard nearly caught on 
fire. But never mind. Tell us another tale, 
my good Sir Cat.” 

Puss, Junior, wrinkled his forehead; then 
he scratched his head, and after that he said, 
“I will tell you about Cinderella. One eve- 


63 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

ning, as I was walking through a deep forest, 
I saw a little light through the trees. 

“So I hurried on, and pretty soon I came 
to a small house, and when I looked through 
the window I saw Cinderella sitting alone by 
the fireside. She seemed very sad, for every 



now and then she wiped her eyes with her 
apron. Suddenly a queer little old woman, 
with a high peeked hat, bounced in through 
the door. And the next minute Cinderella’s 
old dress changed into a magnificent gown. 

64 


CINDERELLA 


Then the queer little old woman waved her 
wand, and in pranced six little mice drawing 
a coach.” 

“What do you suppose would have hap- 
pened to you, Mr. Puss, Junior, if you had 
dashed in and eaten one of those little mice?” 
said Tom Thumb. 

“I’m sure I don’t know,” replied Puss, 
“but I didn’t. I just hung on to the window- 
sill and looked in. Suddenly the little mice 
drew the coach out of the room, and when 
they were outside of the house the old woman 
waved her wand, and, lo and behold, there 
stood six beautiful white horses and a coach 
big enough for Cinderella to ride in. 

“In another moment she ran out of the 
house, her little glass slipper going clinkerty- 
klink on the stone walk. Then the footman 
helped her in and closed the door, and after 
that he blew his beautiful silver horn and 
away rattled the coach to the ball. 

“And just as it disappeared in the dark- 
ness the fairy godmother said to me, ‘come 
inside, my dear Puss, Junior, and sit down 
by the fire.’ ” 


A LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER 


HAT’S very interesting,” said the 



JL little old man as Puss, Junior, related 
how Cinderella had driven off in the beauti- 
ful coach. “Rut why didn’t you ask her fairy 
godmother to give you a coach and four in- 
stead of a saucer of milk?” 

“I never thought of it,” said Puss, Junior, 
with a sigh. “I suppose I might have; al- 
though, perhaps, other people’s godmothers 
are not very obliging. I guess everybody 
should have a godmother of his own.” 

“Very likely,” said the little old man, “but 
go on with your story. There must be more 
to tell.” 

“Oh, yes, there’s more,” said Puss, Junior. 
“But this is the disagreeable part. You see, 
I then went to sleep by the fire, because Cin- 
derella’s godmother told me to get a good 
rest and to leave early in the morning, before 
Cinderella’s two big, cross sisters came down- 
stairs. But I didn’t,” said Puss with a laugh. 


66 


A LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER 

“I overslept myself, and the first thing I 
knew there were heavy footsteps coming 
down the stairs, and in walked the two sisters. 
I had already pulled on my boots, so I stood 
up and politely said ‘Good morning.’ But 



all they did was to cry ‘Mercy!’ Before I 
could jump to one side they caught up a 
broom and brushed me through the door, and 
then I tumbled headfirst down the cellar 
steps; and after that they banged the door 
down and made me a prisoner in the dark 
cellar.” 


67 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“Weren’t you frightened to death?” asked 
the little hen. 

“No; I was mad!” said Puss, his hair 
standing up on the ridge of his back and his 
tail twice the size of a wooden roller. “It 
makes me mad to-day to think of it.” 

“Calm yourself, my good Sir Cat,” cried 
the little old man. “Let us have the story, 
for it is of great interest.” So Puss went 
on. 

“I don’t remember how long I remained 
in that dreadful dark place, but at last I 
heard the cellar door open, and in the twin- 
kling of an eye I dashed up the steps into the 
sunlight. There stood Cinderella. She had 
none of her pretty clothes on ; only her every- 
day working dress. But she picked me up 
in her arms and whispered: 

“ ‘Puss, dear Puss in Boots, I met such a 
lovely Prince last night. So I dropped one 
of my little glass slippers, and I know he’ll 
bring it to me. Por this morning, oh so early, 
a little blue bird stood on my windowsill and 
sang: 

“ ‘Harken to the Blue Bird true ; 

Your Prince to-day will come to you; 

Your little shoe of glass he’ll bring 
And a golden wedding ring.’” 

68 


I 


LITTLE NANNIE ETTIGOAT 



HERE was a great clapping of hands 


X as Puss, Junior, finished his story about 
his adventure with Cinderella. The old man 
said he would like to have seen the little glass 
slipper, and the little yellow hen said she 
would like to have seen the blue bird. 

And then Tom Thumb looked up at Puss, 
Junior, and said: “My dear, dear Puss, you 
certainly have had wonderful adventures. I 
have always wanted to meet Cinderella. I 
love all the Mother Goose characters, but 
Cinderella always pleased me most.” 

“Well, some day you shall meet her,” said 
Puss, Junior. “Some day, after we have met 
all the dear people in Mother Goose, you and 
I will retrace our steps, and I’ll take you to 
my old home. Yes, back to my old garret 
where I first saw the portrait of my illustrious 
father,” and then Puss, Junior, curled his 
whiskers and sat up very straight, for he felt 
proud to think that he had gone through so 
many wonderful adventures. 


69 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

And then the little old man got up and 
said: 

“Early to bed and early to rise 
Will make us all healthy and wealthy and wise.” 

“Very well, Grandfather,” said the little 



yellow hen, and she got out the candles. And 
when they were all lighted, she showed Puss 
and Tom to their room at the head of a 
crooked little flight of stairs. It had two 
small windows shaped like stars, and the 
moonlight made little gold stars all over the 

70 


LITTLE NANNIE ETTIGOAT 

carpet. Puss set his candle down on the little 
pie-crust table, and said : 

“Little Nannie Ettigoat 
In a white petticoat. 

And a red nose; 

The longer she stands. 

The shorter she grows.” 

“Then my good Sir Cat,” said the little 
yellow hen with a bow, “you had better blow 
out ‘Little Nannie Ettigoat’ and undress 
yourself by the light of the little gold stars on 
the carpet.” 

Well, it didn’t take Puss and Tom long 
to get into bed, and they both were so tired 
that they fell asleep as soon as their heads 
touched the soft white pillow. And the little 
gold stars on the carpet stayed there until the 
big yellow sun in the morning chased them 
back into the sky again. 

6 


LOOK BEFORE YOU OPEN 


“The cock’s on the housetop blowing his horn; 
The bull’s in the barn a-threshing of corn; 


The maids in the meadows are making of hay : 
The ducks in the river are swimming away.” 



HIS is the Mother Goose melody that 


i Puss, Junior, sang as he jumped out 
of bed. The sun shone brightly on the floor, 
and Puss leaned over and picked up a pin, 
saying, “To-day my fortune will begin, for I 
have found a silver pin!” 

Well, before long he and Tom Thumb 
were dressed, and when they came downstairs 
the little yellow hen had the breakfast table 
already set; the kettle was boiling away 
and singing a song; from the oven came the 
odor of hot biscuit, and the bacon in the pan 
frizzled and sizzled. 

The little old man came in with a big red 
rose, which he put in a vase and placed on the 
table. And after the coffee was made, they 
all sat down and you can well believe the 
food tasted mighty good. The little yellow 


72 


LOOK BEFORE YOU OPEN 


hen was a fine cook, and as everyone had a 
fine appetite breakfast was soon over. 

“And now, my pretty little hen,” said Puss, 
Junior, giving his scabbard a slap with his 
paw, “I must be off upon my journey of ad- 
venture.” 

“We shall miss your stories,” said the little 
old man, giving his hand to Puss. And then 
he turned to Tom Thumb and said: “We 
may meet again; always remember that the 
little old man and the little yellow hen will 
always be happy to see you both again.” 

And after that Tom jumped nimbly on 
Puss, Junior’s, shoulder and our two small 
travelers once more set out upon their jour- 
ney. And by and by, as they went through 
the forest they came to a hut of rough logs. 
It looked deserted, but Puss, Junior, was 
careful not to push open the door. Instead, 
he peeped through a crack. 

And it was mighty well he did, for inside 
the one large room stood a fierce black dra- 
gon. His eyes were like coals of fire and his 
great wide open mouth was like a fiery fur- 
nace. Puss took just one look and then pick- 
ing up Tom Thumb, put him in his pocket 
and ran swiftly away. 

73 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

And after a while Puss whispered to Tom, 
“Pll tell St. George about this fierce beast. 
He'll be glad to have a chance to kill another 
dragon!” And some day in another book 
I’ll tell you how Puss found the good knight. 


THE TOAD PRISONER 


H ERE we are again — you and I, read- 
ing another story about little Puss, 
Junior. But before we go any further, let 
us see where we left off last night — or was 
it this morning when we left Puss and Tom 
Thumb in the forest. Well, never mind. 
They are out of the forest by this time and 
are coming to a pretty village in dear Old 
Mother Goose Land. All of a sudden a little 
boy with a fiddle under his arm came cry- 
ing down the street. 

“What’s the trouble,” asked Puss, and the 
little boy answered that his mother was ill, 
and he could find nothing to do to earn a 
penny. 

“Come with us,” said Puss, cheerily, “we 
will find a way,” and by and by they met a 
kind man who asked Jackie to play in the 
orchestra. So the happy lad bid Puss, Jun- 
ior, and Tom Thumb good-day and went to 
work at his new job. 


75 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


Just as he turned the corner, the kind man 
came back and told Tom Thumb he needed 
a little man for his theatre. 

“I will pay you well,” he said, “and all 
the little boys and girls will clap their hands 
when you come on the stage.” 

“This is a good chance for you,” said Puss. 
“If I come across a circus, I’ll join it !” Then 
he and Tom Thumb bid each other good-by 
and Puss rode off on his Good Gray Horse. 

All of a sudden he saw a little yellow bird 
who commenced to sing : 

“Lucy Locket 

Lost her pocket; 

Kitty Fisher 
Found it; 

Nothing in it. 

Nothing in it, 

But the binding 
Round it.” 

“Run and tell Lucy,” said Puss. And off 
flew the yellow bird to find the little girl. 

“Heigh-ho,” said Puss to himself. “I wish 
I’d meet some one who could tell me where 
to find my dear father,” and then, all of a 
sudden, a great rock rolled down the side of 
the mountain and crashed into a tree. And 
would you believe it, that great rock split in 

76 


THE TOAD PRISONER 

two and out hopped a toad who had been im- 
prisoned there for maybe a thousand years. 

But when Puss spoke to him, he didn’t 
understand a word. No Siree. I guess he 
had never heard Mother Goose language. 
Well, anyway, little Puss felt sorry for him, 
so he picked him up, and placing him on the 
saddle, rode off and by and by he came to an 
oak tree around the roots of which grew three 
large toadstools. 

And underneath one sat a little fairy, 
dressed in rose leaves trimmed with thistle- 
down. 

“Oh, ho! Sir Cat,” she said, “where did 
that old-fashioned toad come from?” 

And then Puss looked at him and for the 
first time noticed that he wore very strange 
clothes. And after Puss had explained to the 
little fairy how the toad had come out of the 
great rock, she said: 

“Give him some of this toadstool to eat. 
Maybe it will cause him to speak.” And 
would you believe it? As soon as that toad 
had eaten just a little piece he opened his 
mouth and spoke Mother Goose language 
even better than you or I can. And he told 
how he had once been a king in his toad coun- 
77 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


try, and that there had been a great earth- 
quake, and he had been buried for a long, 
long time. 

“But I will reward you,” said the Toad. 
“Ask me for what you will, and I will grant 
it, for I have still my magic gold ring.” 

So the little fairy wrinkled her forehead 
and tried to think what she most wanted. 
And Puss sat on his Good Gray Horse and 
tried to think what he most wanted, while 
the toad hopped around and ate flies. And, 
O dear me! Both Puss and the fairy took 
so long to make up their minds that all of a 
sudden a great big snake swallowed the toad 
and glided away to his home in the rocks. 

“Gracious me!” said the Good Gray Horse, 
“I would have wished for a quart of oats 
right away.” 

But Puss and the little fairy never said a 
word, for they both were dreadfully provoked 
with themselves for being so slow. 


DR. AUSTEN 


“T?ORGET about Wishing Toads,” ad- 
F vised the Good Gray Horse, as he 
trotted out of the forest with little Puss, Jun- 
ior, on his back. “We must find your dear 
father!” But hardly had he finished, when 
something happened. 

Dr. Austen went to Boston 
In the bright sunshine; 

He slipped his heel on an orange peel 
And nearly broke his spine. 

And then, of course, he couldn’t walk, so 
Puss, Junior, helped him on his Good Gray 
Horse and took him to Boston, New Mother 
Goose Land, of course, and not the big 
U. S. A. 

“How do you feel, doctor?” asked our little 
traveler as they entered the city. 

“Well, just middling,” replied the good 
man, “I feel sort of queer and strange noises 
I hear, and I very much fear I’ll be laid up 
in bed!” 


79 



PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

It is quite remarkable that being so ill he 
should be able to talk in rhyme, but of course 


everybody, more or less, and I really think a 
good deal more, talks poetry in Mother Goose 
Land. 


80 


DOCTOR AUSTEN 


“ Where shall I take you?” asked Puss. 

“Up Bean street till you come to Brown- 
bread avenue,” replied Doctor Austen. 

So Puss followed his directions and pretty 
soon they came to a nice little house and as 
soon as they stopped at the gate a motherly 
woman came out of the front door. And, oh, 
dear me, she was frightened when she saw how 
lame the good doctor was. He could hardly 
walk, you see, and if the Good Gray Horse 
hadn’t knelt down, just like a camel, he never 
would have been able to get off the saddle. 

“Lean on me,” said the old lady, and she 
helped the good man into the house and made 
him lie down on the couch in the sitting room, 
where two big seashells looked down at you 
from the mantelpiece and the peacock feath- 
ers winked at you from a tall vase and the 
tidies on the backs of the chairs seemed to 
say, “Come, lay your head against us and 
we’ll put you to sleep.” 

Well, anyway, if they didn’t exactly say 
that, they seemed to invite you to sit down, 
and so Puss, who was quite tired with his ride, 
jumped up on a chair, and, would you believe 
it, he fell fast asleep in a few minutes? 

That’s just what he did, for he was all 
81 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


fagged out holding the doctor on the Good 
Gray Horse. So when the old lady saw him 
asleep she sent her hired man out to the front 
gate, where the Good Gray Horse was tied 
to the hitching post, and he took Puss, Jun- 
ior’s, faithful steed to the barn, where he had 
a good supper of oats. 

And then the old lady went into the kitchen 
and made some tea biscuits for supper and 
stewed some apples. And then she set the 
table and put on the frosted cake and when 
Puss, Junior, woke up supper was ready. 

After the table was cleared and the dishes 
washed, the old lady and Puss, Junior, had 
a friendly chat before bed time. And then 
the Cuckoo came out of her little Clock 
House and sang — 

“Time for bed — 

Come, run up stairs — 

Brush your teeth. 

Then say your prayers. 

And after that 

You’ll sleep till morn. 

When the little 

Red Rooster blows his horn!” 


TROUBLE A-PLENTY 

The Little Red Rooster crowed so hard. 

From his house in the kind old lady’s yard, 

At half past five the very next morn. 

That he almost broke his little tin horn. 

U P jumped Puss, Junior, and hurried 
down to breakfast. But good Dr. 
Austen was unable to leave his room. 

“I will lend him my Good Gray Horse for 
a time,” said generous little Puss, Junior, as 
he bid the old lady good-by, and off he went 
in his red top boots to find his dear father. 

After a while he saw in the distance a farm 
house. So he hurried on, thinking perhaps if 
the farmer were kind hearted, he might get a 
saucer of milk. But, Oh dear me ! When he 
came into the farm yard he saw a sad sight. 
There stood the farmer’s wife with three 
mouse tails in her hand. Dear, dear ! And 
close by stood the three little mice. 

“What’s the trouble?” inquired Puss, 
Junior. 

“Trouble a-plenty!” answered the farmer’s 
wife. 


83 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 



“These naughty mice 
Will not be nice. 

They eat ray cake. 
Keep me awake. 
Nibble, Nibble, 
Scamper and squeak, 
I’ve not slept a wink 
For over a week l” 


84 


TROUBLE A-PLENTY 


But the poor little mice began to cry. 
Maybe they were sorry for the farmer’s wife 
— and perhaps they wanted their tails. How- 
ever, I can’t tell you for certain, for just then 
Yankee Doodle Dandy came riding down the 
road. 

He had a feather in his hat, 

A stick of macaroni 

That waved above him like a whip 

To scare his dappled pony 

He pranced about like anything, 

And sang a hip-hurray, 

Till all the little boys and girls 
Forgot about their play. 

The Rooster and his cackling hen 
Danced up and down the lane, 

The Mooley Cow stood on the fence 
Until she had a pain. 

Old Mother Hubbard hurried by 
All on her way to town. 

But when she saw this Yankee lad 
She almost tumbled down. 

At last his prancing little horse 
Stood still as still could be 
And Yankee Doodle doffed his cap 
And shouted lustily 

“Helloa !” And he shouted so loudly that 
the Man in the Moon must have heard him. 

For the Man in the Moon 
All dressed in brown 
From out of a cloud 
Came tumbling down. 

85 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 



I guess he was weary 
Of green cheese and whey 
And longed for a pudding — 
I really can’t say. 


86 


TROUBLE A-PLENTY 


But when he asked for cold plum porridge, 
Yankee Doodle advised him not to try it. 

“You’ll burn your mouth 
If you go South!” 

But the Man in the Moon only laughed 
and turned away. 


A ROYAL WELCOME 


A S the Man in the Moon walked down the 
u road toward the South, Yankee Doodle 
exclaimed, “Let him burn his mouth with cold 
plum porridge. I can’t help it.” 

“Nor I,” answered Puss, Junior. 

“We had better be on our way toward the 
city,” said Yankee Doodle. 

“I think so, too,” said Puss, “and as your 
pony seems impatient to be off, give him the 
rein and we will reach the town in no time.” 
Away went the pony, seeming to know that 
our little hero was anxious to reach his desti- 
nation. 

As they neared the town they heard a great 
hue and cry. Everybody was standing on 
the street corners, as if there was a parade to 
be seen. 

“What is it?” asked Puss. 

“I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Yankee 
Doodle Dandy. “But we’ll soon find out.” 
This was very true, for in a few minutes they 
heard voices crying: 


88 


A ROYAL WELCOME 


Hark, hark! the dogs do bark, 

Beggars are coming to town; 

Some in rags and some in tags. 

And some in velvet gown. 

“They are not very polite,” cried Puss, 
Junior, 

“Oh, they don’t mean us,” replied Yankee 
Doodle Dandy. “How could they? You 
have a fine suit and a pair of elegant boots. 
As for myself, just look at my feather!” 

“To be sure,” said Puss. “It must be 
somebody else.” 

This was true, for at that instant a proces- 
sion was seen advancing along the main 
street. It was a motley crew; some were 
indeed dressed in rags, while others were 
garbed in beautiful clothes. A band was 
playing merrily and the flags were flying in 
the breeze. As our two travelers approached 
the band suddenly changed its tune, and 
“Yankee Doodle, doodle-do,” rang out loud 
and clear. 

“Hurrah!” cried a small boy on the side- 
walk, “who cares for the procession now! 
Here’s Yankee Doodle Dandy!” Imme- 
diately, all eyes were turned toward Puss and 
his comrade. 


89 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“Hurrah! hurray!” yelled Yankee Doodle 
Dandy, swinging his cap in the air. 

“Three cheers for the ‘Red, White and 
Blue!’ ” yelled Puss. 

Everybody joined in, and the band 
changed from “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to 
this song. Even Puss began to sing, for 
everyone was joining in the wild chorus. 

Yankee Doodle Dandy reined in his horse 
and shouted: “Ladies and gentlemen, allow 
me to present Puss in Boots, Junior!” 

“Glad to see you, Puss!” yelled the crowd. 
“Welcome to our city!” and half a dozen men 
lifted Puss on their shoulders and carried him 
off to the tavern. 


PUSS, JUNIOR, MAKES 
A SPEECH 

ANKEE DOODLE DANDY fol- 



X lowed Puss, who turned around as he 
sat upon the shoulders of the enthusiastic 
crowd, and cried, “Ladies and Gentlemen, 
allow me to present the famous Yankee 
Doodle Dandy.” 

“Give us some macaroni!” shouted a voice. 

“Lend us your feather!” called another. 

“I’ll give you $10 for the pony!” cried a 
third. 

“Not for sale!” laughed Yankee Doodle 
Dandy. 

By this time they had reached the tavern. 
The owner, on hearing all the noise, opened 
the door and stood ready to receive them. 

“Good-morrow, gentlemen!” he cried. 
“Come in and make yourselves at home.” 

As soon as Puss, Junior, and Yankee 
Doodle Dandy reached the small veranda in 
front of the tavern, they turned and bowed 
to the crowd. 


91 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

“We certainly appreciate your kind 
words,” cried Puss, who had scrambled up on 
the railing so as to get a better view, “and 
Yankee Doodle Dandy and myself feel 
greatly complimented !” 



“Speech! Speech!” yelled the crowd. 

“My good friends,” began Puss, “it is with 
much pleasure that I thank you for our 
kind reception to your beautiful town. It is 
seldom that I have been received with such 
an outburst of good will. It would be vain 
indeed for me to take much of the credit. 


92 


PUSS, JUNIOR, MAKES A SPEECH 


My comrade here, Yankee Doodle Dandy, 
deserves the larger share. He is well known 
to you all, either personally or in song. I 
move that we give three cheers for Yankee 
Doodle Dandy !” 

This set the crowd crazy, and yell after 
yell resounded in the air. 

Yankee Doodle Dandy then came to the 
front and waving his feathered cap in the air, 
waited until all were silent: 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he commenced, 
“my good comrade beside me,” and here he 
laid his hand upon little Puss, Junior, “is a 
most modest cat. But his virtues shall not 
remain unnoticed. He is now a famous trav- 
eler in search of his illustrious father, Puss 
in Boots. I venture to say there is none 
among you who has not read that fascinating 
story, ‘Puss in Boots.’ It is indeed a nursery 
classic. And now the son of that famous cat 
is seeking the hero of the story, his father, 
the noble Puss in Boots. Any of you who 
has the slightest knowledge of his where- 
abouts will confer a great favor by advising 
his son, Puss, Junior, where he may be 
found.” 

“If it please you, sir,” cried a small boy in 

93 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


a high, shrill voice, “my grandmother told me 
some time ago of a famous cat that lived many 
miles from here. But she didn’t say where.” 

“Well, my little man,” answered Yankee 
Doodle Dandy, “that sounds very well, but 
if you could tell me 'where’ it would be 
better.” 


PUSS TRAVELS TO BABYLON 


> Puss, Junior, and Yankee Doodle 



n. Dandy were about to say good-by to 
the crowd and retire for a rest in the little 
tavern they heard a voice singing: 

“How many miles is it to Babylon? 

Three score miles and ten. 


Can I get there by candle light? 


Yes, and back again ! 

If your heels are nimble and light. 
You may get there by candle light.” 


“I think that’s the place my Grandmother 
said Puss in Boots lives,” cried the small boy. 

At this Puss, Junior, was very much 
excited. “Can it be true, I wonder !” he cried. 

“Don’t ask me,” said Yankee Doodle 
Dandy. “It may be so, but I never heard of 
any famous cat living there.” 

“Well, I shall set out for Babylon as soon 
as I have my lunch,” replied Puss, “for if it 
is the truth my journey is at an end; and if 
it be not so, no harm has come.” 


95 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

Then bowing to the people, he and Yankee 
Doodle went inside the tavern for their noon- 
day meal. When this was over Puss thanked 
him for his kindness in giving him a ride on 
his pony, and bidding him good-by continued 
his journey in search of his father. 

It was a beautiful afternoon. The road 
was broad and level and Puss sped away like 
a good fellow. The red tops of his boots 
shone brightly in the rays of the sun and the 
owl’s feather in his cap waved in the breeze. 
He swung his stick up and down as he 
marched along, humming at times a little 
song. 

“Gracious me,” he said to himself, “what 
wonderful things I am seeing and what inter- 
esting people I am meeting. I shall have 
tales of adventure by the score to recite to 
my father after I have once found him!” 

The hours sped quickly by, and Puss had 
gone many miles. It was now almost candle 
light. 

“My heels are nimble and light enough ; or 
at least they were,” said Puss to himself, 
“although I confess that at this moment they 
don’t feel as light as they did. I wonder how 
much further away is Babylon? It ought to 

96 


PUSS TRAVELS TO BABYLON 

be in sight pretty soon, unless I am on the 
wrong road.” 

For a mile or two more he plodded along. 
The sun was getting close to the western hills 
and the sky was all over gold and purple, 
pink and green. The sun had almost com- 
pleted his journey, and yet our little friend 
was still trudging along, anxiously looking 
for a distant steeple to cheer him with the 
thought that at last the town of Babylon was 
near at hand. 

“If it gets dark I shall be in a bad fix!” he 
exclaimed, “for one doesn’t like to arrive in 
a strange place after nightfall. No doubt all 
the cats in town will be about and I shall have 
to fight my way in.” Nevertheless he kept 
bravely on his way and after a short time 
entered the city. 


THE GOOSE SHIP 


T HE twinkling stars shone down upon 
The quiet streets of Babylon; 

All Mother Goose Land lay asleep; 

The River Dee, so broad and deep. 

Seemed like a silver ribbon spun 
Beside the walls of Babylon. 

Suddenly, moving swiftly across the sky, 
Puss saw an old woman upon a snow-white 
gander. She appeared to be descending 
toward the earth, so he waited until the gander 
alighted. 

“Good evening, Mother Goose!” he cried, 
hardly able to conceal his delight at the chance 
to be able to speak to this celebrated person. 

“The same to you,” she replied. “Whither 
are you bound?” 

“To Fairy Land,” he answered. “I must 
cross that country to find my famous father. 
Puss in Boots.” 

“ ’Tis a long journey by foot,” replied the 
old woman. “Would you care to ride with 
me on my fast gander?” 

“Is there room to spare?” asked Puss 
politely. 


98 


THE GOOSE SHIP 


“Yes, indeed,” she replied, “he has a broad 
back and a stout pair of wings. Before many 
moons we will be home again. We fly even 
faster by night, so we count by moons rather 
than by suns. But, before we start, my feath- 
ered steed must have water.” 

“Yonder runs a crystal stream,” said Puss, 
“and the water is very fine for I but lately 
drank of it myself.” 

The gander, on hearing this, waddled 
quickly over to the brook, where he drank 
long and deep. 

Puss took a little silver cup from his pocket, 
and filling it with water, offered it to Mother 
Goose. After he had also taken a drink, they 
seated themselves upon the gander’s back and 
in a short time were traveling through the air 
at a great rate. 

Toward midnight Puss began to feel very 
hungry and was much relieved when Mother 
Goose took some sweet cakes from a little 
basket on her arm. It was great fun to watch 
the gander turn his long neck backward while 
still flying swiftly and pick crumbs from the 
old lady’s hand. Puss saved a little piece 
with frosting on it and fed the gander, who 
winked in quite a friendly way. 

99 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


The wind whistled and the gander’s wings 
made a strange noise as they beat the air in 
rhythmic time. On they flew, under the 
white clouds that were now turning to pink 
and blue, gold and purple, as the sun rose 
slowly in the east. 

Over the earth the mist was slowly rising 
and the tree tops waved sleepily in the breeze. 
Faint chirpings from the birds could be heard 
at times as the gander flew closer to the earth. 
The morning star was twinkling in the sky. 
It almost tinkled, Puss thought, like a silver 
bell to tell the little children in the nurseries 
that the curtain of night was slowly rising 
from the play house of the day. 


SKY-RIDING 


I T seemed to Puss in Boots, Junior, that 
he had scarcely fallen asleep when he 
heard the strains of a pretty song outside. 

Boys and girls, come out and play, 

The moon does shine as bright as day. 

Come with a whoop, and come with a call. 

Come with a good will or come not at all. 

Lose your supper and lose your sleep. 

Come to your playfellows in the street. 

“I won’t lose my supper,” said Puss, 
Junior, hastily pulling on his boots, “for I’ve 
already had it.” 

You see, Puss, Junior, and Mother Goose 
had come across some old friends who had 
invited them for a week-end. 

At that moment the gander began quack- 
ing. The Man in Brown was also awake. 
Puss, Junior, heard him coming down the 
stairs. In a minute the whole household was 
up and about. Even the good wife of the 
Man in Brown was bustling around, but, the 
baby was still in the land of dreams. Mother 
Goose also appeared just as Puss, Junior, 
was opening the door. 

“Where are you going, my dear?” she 
101 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


asked, while the gander stood up and flapped 
his wings, as much as to say, “I’m ready for 
anything in the shape of a lark.” Perhaps he 
thought some bird was in the frolic. I’m 
sure I don’t know, but at all events he un- 
doubtedly thought there was something ex- 
citing about to happen. 

“As long as we are all up and awake,” said 
Mother Goose, suppose we show the children 
what a wonderful sky-horse I have,” and 
with these words she seated herself upon the 
gander. Puss waited a moment, then he 
seated himself behind her. 

The moon was certainly shining with all 
its might. In fact, it was almost as light as 
day. The children stood quietly around, 
looking with wide open eyes at the gander. 

“You don’t think he can carry us both, I 
suppose?” asked Mother Goose, with a kind 
smile. “Well, you just wait and see.” 

As soon as she gave her feathered steed a 
gentle tap he rose majestically from the earth. 
In a short time he was far above the house- 
tops. Looking down, Puss, Junior, could 
barely see the heads of the children as they 
stood gazing upward. 

“Well, well,” exclaimed Puss, “I never 
102 


SKY-RIDING 


thought I would resume my journey until 
morning, but those children woke us up — 
and here we are!” 

“Yes, we are certainly here,” replied 
Mother Goose, with a laugh. “And as long 
as we had a nice supper and a comfortable 
nap, I see no reason for not resuming our 
journey. We have many miles to go before 
we reach my little house in the wood.” 

“Have we?” asked Puss, Junior, rather 
sleepily, for although he had been suddenly 
awakened from a sound sleep to take an aero- 
plane ride, as it were, the gander’s feathers 
were wonderfully soft, as soft as the little bed 
he had been sleeping in. 

Away went the gander, over the tree tops, 
higher and higher, until he came close to the 
clouds. 

“Dearie me,” said Old Mother Goose, “it 
looks like rain,” but Puss, Junior, was now 
sound asleep. 

“We must find shelter by morning,” whis- 
pered the old lady to her feathered steed. 
“Fly close to the earth. Perhaps we may 
come across a cottage.” As they slowly de- 
scended they found themselves just over a 
great forest. 

8 


103 


ROBIN HOOD 


G OODNESS me! How the lightning 
flashed and the thunder roared as little 
Puss, Junior, with Mother Goose and her 
Gander landed near a tall oak tree. 

“This will never do!” she exclaimed. “We 
must find better shelter or we will be drenched 
to the skin.” And just then, all of a sudden, 
a voice began to sing: 

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, 

Is in the mickle wood ! 

Little John, Little John, 

He to the town is gone. 

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, 

Telling his beads, 

All in the greenwood 
Among the green weeds. 

Little John, Little John, 

If he comes no more, 

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, 

We shall fret full sore! 

“This must be Sherwood Forest, where 
Robin Hood and his merry men hold sway,” 
exclaimed Mother Goose as the last echo of 
the song died away. And pretty soon after 
that Robin Hood and his band of archers 
came by. 


104 


ROBIN HOOD 


“Good morning, mother,” he cried, bowing 
low. 

“The same to you, brave sir,” replied 
Mother Goose. “If I mistake not, it is the 
good Robin Hood to whom I speak.” 

“The very same,” he replied, “but seek ye 
not shelter from the storm?” 

“We do indeed,” spoke up Puss, Junior, 
“but thus far we have found nothing but 
trees.” 

And then you should have heard all the 
merry men laugh. “Cats have no liking for 
a w r etting,” they cried. 

To tell the truth, the Gander was the only 
one who didn’t mind the rain, for the drops of 
water rolled off his back, leaving him as dry as 
could be under his feathered coat. 

Just then a Potter who had been to town 
to sell his pots came driving by. 

“Hold!” cried Robin Hood, seizing tthe 
horse’s bridle. “Take these three strangers 
home with thee. They are in sore need of 
shelter for the night.” 

Of course the Potter was afraid of Robin 
Hood’s great bow, and he drove off at a 
rattling pace, with Mother Goose and the 
Gander and Puss, Junior, comfortably seated 

105 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


in his little wagon. But before he started he 
gave Puss a big umbrella to keep off the rain- 
drops that trickled through the leaves in the 
lovely greenwood. 

Well, by and by they turned up a narrow 
lane and arrived at the Potter’s cottage, 
where his wife made them all comfortable 
for the night. Even the Gander slept in the 
kitchen, for he was no ordinary bird, you 
know, but one of Mother Goose’s most fa- 
mous characters, 


ON THE WING 


I T was a “misty, moisty morning” when 
little Puss, Junior, awoke in the Potter’s 
cottage. The rain was dripping from the 
roof, and the earthen pots which the Potter 
kept in his little yard were full of water. In 
the distance Sherwood Forest stood wet and 
dreary. 

“Goodness me!” exclaimed Puss, pulling 
on his boots. “I wonder if Mother Goose 
will ride her Gander a wet day like this.” 
And then he ran downstairs to watch the 
Gander, which was already outdoors wad- 
dling about in a pool of water and having a 
fine time wetting his feet. And every now 
and then he flapped his wings and gave a 
great hiss. 

“What do I care for a little rain? 

It washes off each dusty stain. 

It makes my feathers clean and sleek 
So I can curl them with my beak!” 

“Very fine!” cried Mother Goose. “I de- 
clare I never knew he could talk in poetry, 

107 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


although many of the little people in Mother 
Goose Land speak in rhyme.” 

“He’s a pretty wise old Gander,” answered 
Puss, Junior. “He doesn’t say much, but I 
know he thinks a lot.” 

“Some people do their thinking aloud,” re- 
plied Mother Goose. “That’s why they’re 
so tiresome.” 

Just then the Potter came in from the 
yard, where he had been looking after his 
pots, and said: 

“The wind is coming from the west, and 
by the time we have finished our breakfast, 
the sun will be shining.” 

And pretty soon the sun broke through the 
clouds, scattering the mists and drying up the 
little pools along the roadway. 

“We had better be on our way,” said Puss, 
Junior. 

“Or on our wing,” laughed Mother Goose, 
turning to the Potter to drop some silver 
coins in his hand in payment for her night’s 
lodging. Puss had already paid for his, so 
there was nothing more to do but mount the 
Gander’s back and be off. 

As they flew over Sherwood Forest they 
heard the horns of the hunters and the bay- 
108 


ON THE WING 


ing of the hounds. The trees glimmered in 
the early light, and all the little leaves were 
bright and shiny after their rain bath. And 
as the sun rose higher the deer left the hill- 
sides and came down to the cool dales where 
the birds sang and twittered. 

And pretty soon after that the children 
came out of the little cottages and went mer- 
rily on their way to school, but they didn’t 
see Puss and Old Mother Goose, for the Gan- 
der was up so high that he looked no larger 
than a little sparrow. 

Over the chimneys and over the steeples. 

Over the towns and the busy peoples, 

Over the valleys and over the hills. 

Over the lakes and the rivers and rills. 

If you had the chance, now wouldn’t you choose 
To be on the Gander with dear Mother Goose? 

And in the next story you shall hear how 
Puss met a stranger traveler up in the sky 
country. And maybe something about the 
Rainbow Slide. But of course that depends 
a great deal on the Weather Man and his big 
thermometer. 


SKY PILOTS 


OW let me see. Puss was riding with 



dear Old Mother Goose on her Gan- 


der, and they were up so high in the sky that 
the school children could hardly see them, and 
thought the Gander was a little bird. 

Well, by and by, after a while, they met an 
Old Woman riding on a broom. 

“Gracious me!” exclaimed Puss. “Are 
there only women in the sky country? The 
one we met a few days ago was riding in a 
basket. Now this one is astride of a broom. 
I wonder what the next one will have. Per- 
haps a Zepp or an aeroplane!” 

Just then Mother Goose began to sing: 

“There was an old woman who rode on a broom. 

With a high gee ho, gee humble; 

And she took her old cat behind for a groom. 

With a bimble, bamble, bumble.” 

“Why, sure enough, there is a cat,” laughed 
Puss, Junior. “I didn’t see him at first.” 

The Old Woman was too busy talking to 
her cat to notice Puss, Junior, and Mother 


no 


SKY PILOTS 


Goose at all. Indeed, she was having a 
dreadful time, for he wanted to go home right 
away. But 

“The old woman would not go back so soon. 

With a high gee ho, gee humble; 

For she wanted to visit the Man in the Moon, 

With a bimble, bamble, bumble.” 

And then her cat humped up his back and 
said: 


“I’ll go back myself to our house, 

With a high gee ho, gee humble; 

For there I can catch a good rat or a mouse, 

With a bimble, bamble, bumble.” 

And goodness, gracious me! Before the 
Old Woman could stop him, he jumped off 
and slid down to earth on a rainbow, fright- 
ening almost to death a little robin in an 
apple tree. 

“Oh, birdies dear, I just now saw 
A most alarming thing; 

A cat came flying from the sky 
Upon a rainbow wing. 

What shall we do, if from this time, 

A cat can fly as well as climb?” 

“Let him go!” cried the Old Woman. “I 
don’t see why I should postpone my trip to 
the Man in the Moon on account of Tom. 
He’s always hungry. If he wants to slide 
down a rainbow, all right. I won’t take the 
chance.” 


111 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


“Did you say you were going to visit the 
Man in the Moon?” inquired Mother Goose. 

“I did,” replied the Old Woman. “But, 
dearie me! Tom has upset me dreadfully. I 
hope he reaches home safely.” And then she 
turned her broom steed toward the east. 

“Let’s go, too,” suggested Puss, Junior. 
So kind Mother Goose told the Gander to 
follow the Old Woman up the beautiful sky 
road to the Moon House. 


GREEN CHEESE 


T HE Gander with Mother Goose and 
Puss, Junior, on his back had all he 
could do to keep up with the Old Woman 
who Rode on a Broom; but by and by, after 
a while, they reached the moon, which was 
just rising in the east, when all of a sudden 

“The Man in the Moon looked out of the moon. 

Looked out of the moon and said: 

’Tis time for all children on the earth 
To think about going to bed !” 

“But we’re not children!” snapped the Old 
Woman who Rode on a Broom. 

“I wasn’t speaking to you,” answered the 
Man in the Moon. “I was sending a wire- 
less down to the children.” 

“Why, isn’t that nice!” cried Mother 
Goose. “I’m sure it’s a great help to parents. 
I understand that getting children to bed is 
a difficult matter.” 

“What did you do before the wireless was 
invented?” asked Puss, Junior, curiously. 

113 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 



“Used my moonbeams for wires,” answered 
the Man in the Moon. “But on stormy 
nights, of course, I couldn’t send any mes- 
sage.” 


114 


GREEN CHEESE 


“And now you have no trouble at all?” in- 
quired Mother Goose. 

“None in the least,” he answered, “but 
won’t you come in?” So the Gander landed 
them safely on the doorstep, and the Old 
Woman dismounted and rested her broom 
steed against the doorpost. 

“Walk right in,” cried the Man in the 
Moon. “Make yourself at home. We have 
nice green cheese for supper. Do you like 
green cheese?” 

“Very much,” answered Mother Goose. 

“Extremely fond of it,” replied the Old 
Woman. But, oh, dear me! little Puss, 
Junior, knew he wouldn’t like it, so he said 
nothing. 

“What say you. Sir Cat?” asked the Man 
in the Moon. 

“Well,” replied Puss, “I never ate any 
cheese, so I really don’t know; but I have 
smelt some, and if it tastes the way it smells, 
I’d rather be excused.” 

And then how the Man in the Moon did 
laugh. “This is Green Cheese, my boy. It’s 
very young and tender. I’m sure you’ll 
like it.” 

Well, by this time it was dark, and as Puss 
ns 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


peered through the tiny Moon window he 
couldn’t see the earth at all, only stars every- 
where. They winked and blinked and 
twinkled and crinkled and made a soft music 
like chimes. It was all very strange to Puss, 
Junior, and as he turned away from the 
window Mother Goose came and stood close 
beside him. 

“You don’t feel homesick, do you, Puss, 
dear?” 

“No-o ” he answered, “but you know 

how a cat feels in a strange house.” 

Up in the Moon, ever so high. 

The Moon Man sleeps all day. 

But when it is night, and the stars are bright. 

He just starts in to play. 

He opens the door of his big moon house. 

And throws some cheese to his little tame mouse. 

And then he goes motoring all the night 
Till the roosters crow in the morning light. 


BACK TO EARTH 


W ELL, the next morning a little Star 
Rooster woke the Moon House peo- 
ple with his lusty crowing, and when break- 
fast was over, Mother Goose set off with 
Puss, Junior, on her faithful Gander. To- 
ward noon they landed near an old mill. 

“Helloa,” cried a voice, and a small cat ran 
out to meet them. 

“Where can we get our dinner ?” asked 
Mother Goose. 

Just then a big bumble bee flew by. Puss 
hurried after him, but couldn’t catch him until 
he settled on a clover blossom. 

“I feel hungry for honey,” said Puss, 
breathless with his exertion. “I think some 
honey would be about the nicest thing in the 
world.” 

The bee stopped humming and looked at 
Puss. “Why don’t you make your own 
honey?” he asked, rather sharply. “I’m tired 
of having other people get my honey.” 

117 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


“That’s true,” replied Puss. “I never 
thought of it in that light. But I have money. 
Will you take money for honey?” 

“What use is money to me?” replied the 
bumble bee. 

“Why, aren’t there any stores about?” 

“Nothing but the big bee hive,” replied the 
be* “and that’s only a savings bank.” 

Puss then turned away disappointedly. 
“Good-by, Mr. Bee,” he said. “I’ll go back 
to Mother Goose, for I am very hungry, and 
as long as you have no honey, I won’t bother 
you.” 

“We’ve just arrived,” Mother Goose was 
saying, “and we still have a long journey to 
pursue, so if you can direct us to a house, 
where we may get some breakfast, we shall 
be much obliged to you, Miss Pussy.” 

“Follow me,” said the little cat, “for yonder 
is the farmhouse, where the farmer and his 
wife and his children live with me.” 

“Where she lives with them,” said Puss 
under his breath to Mother Goose, as he fol- 
lowed the small cat toward the little white 
farmhouse. 

“What’s the difference,” asked Mother 
Goose, “whether she lives with them or they 
118 


BACK TO EARTH 


live with her as long as we get a good dinner 
for ourselves and the Gander?” 

“Quite right,” answered Puss, “the dinner 
is the main thing, after all.” So they all set 
out at a brisk walk. 

“Wait for me,” said the Gander. “I’m 
not a fast walker, you know.” 

At that instant the “rusty, dusty miller” 
came to the doorway of the old mill. 

“Any corn to grind?” he asked, with a 
broad grin. 

“No, my good sir,” replied Puss, Junior, 
“we are in search of food, for we have eaten 
nothing since this morning.” 

“Mercy me !” exclaimed the miller, with a 
still broader grin, “you have fasted long.” 

“We will fast still longer if we remain 
here talking idly,” answered Mother Goose. 
“Come, let us hasten, for talk never cooked 
a dinner.” 

This seemed a wise remark, for all her com- 
panions immediately started off at a brisk 
trot. The little cat ran ahead and presently 
stopped before a large white farmhouse. 

“I will knock on the door, and when the 
farmer’s wife comes you can tell her what 
you want. She wouldn’t listen to me, you 

9 119 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


know, for I’m only an ordinary sort of a 
cat,” said the little cat, turning to Mother 
Goose. 

“You’re a very obliging little puss,” an- 
swered Mother Goose, raising the old-fash- 
ioned knocker and letting it fall with a 
whack. 

The words were no sooner out of her mouth 
than the door opened and a kind-looking 
woman stood before them. 

“Goodness me!” she exclaimed. “What 
have we here? A gander and a cat with 
boots on, and Oh, I really beg your par- 

don,” she added in great confusion, “I did 
not recognize you at first, my dear Grand- 
mother Goose.” 

“Mother Goose, not Grandmother Goose,” 
Puss ventured to correct her. 

“To be sure,” said the farmer’s wife, “I 
beg your pardon.” 

“It is granted,” said Mother Goose gra- 
ciousy, “provided you can serve us a nice 
hot dinner. We have traveled far and are 
nearly starved.” 

“Buckwheat cakes and syrup,” answered 
the farmer’s wife. 


120 


BACK TO EARTH 


“Fine,” answered Mother Goose, “only see 
that you have enough and to spare.” 

Our travelers then entered the dining room 
and were soon enjoying a hearty meal, the 
gander sitting up and eating as if he had 
always been accustomed to a table and a 
white cloth. 


SWEEPING COBWEBS OFF 
THE SKY 


“/^10ME,” said Mother Goose, after the 
meal was over and she had thanked 
the farmer’s wife for her hospitality, “come, 
dear Puss, Junior, we must be on our way; 
for it’s a long journey to Mother Goose 
House.” 

“Good-by,” said Puss to the farmer’s wife; 
then he turned to the little cat. “Thank 
you, my dear Miss Pussy, also; for had it 
not been for your kindly guidance I feel sure 
I should nearly have starved.” 

The Gander, in the meantime, was busily 
pruning his feathers as if aware that he must 
put everything in good shape before the jour- 
ney. He flapped his wings as if to try them 
before venturing in the air. Then he gave 
his tail a twist or two to assure himself that 
his steering gear was working perfectly. 
After which he stood waiting for Mother 
Goose and Puss, Junior, to seat themselves 
upon his back. 


SWEEPING COBWEBS OFF THE SKY 


“Honk! honk!” cried the Gander, rising 
slowly from the ground, for it was no light 
weight he had to carry. The farmer’s wife 
waved her apron and the little cat her hand- 
kerchief, although Puss could hardly tell, for 
he was so high up that it was difficult to see 
anything distinctly. Away they went, fast 
as the good old Gander could make his wings 
go, through the balmy summer morning air. 

Suddenly, across the sky they saw a strange 
sight. Puss was about to speak, when 
Mother Goose softly began to croon: 

“There was an old woman tossed in a basket. 
Seventeen times as high as the moon; 

But where she was going no mortal could tell. 

For under her arm she carried a broom. 

“ ‘Old woman, old woman, old woman,’ said I, 

‘Whither, oh whither, oh whither so high?’ 

‘To sweep the cobwebs from the sky; 

And I’ll be with you by-and-by.’” 

As she finished the Gander came close up 
to the Old Woman, who was seated quite 
comfortably in a large bushel basket. Over 
her shoulder she carried a broom, and on her 
head she wore a peaked hat. 

“Well, well,” she exclaimed, “I’m de- 
lighted to see you, my dear Mother Goose. 
I hope you’ll excuse the dust which I may 

123 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

have raised, but those cobwebs have been 
annoying me for some time, and I made up 
my mind this morning early that I would 
sweep them off if it took me all day and all 
night and even part of next day.” 

“Quite a job,” said Puss, looking with ad- 
miration at the Old Woman. “You have a 
wonderful basket. It’s as good as a balloon.” 

“Much better, I assure you,” replied the 
Old Woman. “Balloons require constant 
filling with air or gas, but my basket, empty 
or full, sails on forever.” 

“I’d much rather have a Gander,” whis- 
pered Puss to Mother Goose, which pleased 
the Gander immensely, although he said 
nothing. 


PUSS, JUNIOR, ASKS 
QUESTIONS 


F OR some time the Old Woman traveled 
with Mother Goose and Puss, Junior. 
The basket in which the old lady rode was 
certainly a wonderful one, for it kept up 
with the Gander without any effort. It was 
probably a magic basket, for otherwise how 
under heaven could it fly? 

All this time the Old Woman was very 
busily engaged in sweeping the cobwebs off 
the sky. It seemed strange indeed to think 
that there could be any cobwebs up so high, 
but when you come to think of it, the sky 
does look sometimes as if it were covered 
with them. Then the next day, they are all 
gone. This is probably due to the fact that 
it was sweeping day for the Old Woman. 

“How far do you go with your house clean- 
ing?” finally inquired Mother Goose. 

“Not often so far,” answered the Old 
Woman, “but it is seldom that I find anyone 

125 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 

up here to talk to, and for this reason I have 
gone farther to-day than usual. ,, 

“What do you do when it rains?” Puss, 
Junior, was growing most curious. 

The Old Woman laughed good-naturedly. 
“Why, I go into the woods and turn my 
basket upside down and crawl underneath.” 

“How do you keep it from flying off?” 
asked Puss. 

“What questions children — I mean cats — 
can ask!” said the Old Woman. “Why, my 
dear Puss, when my basket is turned upside 
down it can’t fly. It is built to fly through 
the air and not through the earth.” 

“Oh, I see,” answered Puss. “ISTo matter 
how hard the wind might blow, it couldn’t 
turn over.” 

“Exactly,” replied the Old Woman, “it’s 
as safe as a church.” 

Mother Goose had been an interested 
listener, and when the Old Woman finished, 
she turned and said : “You know a good deal 
about cobwebs. Tell me, are those cobwebs 
or rain clouds?” 

“Gracious me!” cried the Old Woman. 
“They’re rain clouds. I must be on my way 
126 


PUSS, JUNIOR, ASKS QUESTIONS 


or I shall get a good wetting. Good-by,” 
and she turned about and was off in a jiffy. 

“Let me see, ,, said Mother Goose, reflec- 
tively. “If it’s really going to rain, we ought 
to find some place for shelter. I dislike get- 
ting wet, and I left my umbrella at home.” 

“I always do, too,” said Puss, “that is, on 
the days when it turns out rainy.” 

“I think,” said the Gander, “if it is really 
going to rain cats and dogs we had better get 
nearer the ground, for if we happened to be 
struck by a stray cat or dog, it might dis- 
arrange my steering gear.” 

“Fly down to that wood,” said Mother 
Goose. “I see no sign of a house. We must 
do the best we can.” 

It began to rain at this point, and a few 
stray flashes of lightning warned them that 
the storm was fast approaching. The Gan- 
der hastened his flight and soon landed them 
safely in the sheltering woods. 


MOTHER GOOSE HOUSE 


N OW something very nice happened be- 
fore I commenced this story. It 
stopped raining by the time the Gander 
looked at his watch. Wasn’t that nice of the 
Weather Man in Mother Goose Country? 
Then, all of a sudden, a little yellow bird 
began to sing: 


“Mother Goose has a house, 

’Twas built in a wood, 

Where an owl at the door 
For sentinel stood. 

She had a son Jack, 

A plain looking lad; 

He was not very good. 

Nor yet very bad.” 

And pretty soon after that they reached 
Mother Goose’s house. 

There stood the little owl, with a gun over 
his shoulder, keeping watch. And when he 
heard footsteps, he ruffled up his feathers 
and cocked his gun. 

“Who goes there? Stop and give the 
countersign!” he shouted. 

128 


MOTHER GOOSE HOUSE 



“It’s Mother Goose and her friend Sir Cat 
So put up your gun and take off your hat. 
You needn’t play soldier any more. 

But hang up your coat behind the door,” 


129 



PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


sang the Gander, or maybe he hissed it for 
all I know. 

“Where is Jack?” asked Mother Goose. 

“He’s still in bed,” answered the owl. 
“He doesn’t get up as early as this every 
morning.” 

“No, I guess not,” answered Mother 
Goose, “not every morning, nor any morn- 
ing,” and then she opened the door and called, 
“Jack, Jack! Where are you?” 

“Don’t ask me, mother,” answered a sleepy 
voice. “You know well enough where I am.” 

“He’s not a bad boy, only he loves to 
sleep,” said Mother Goose to Puss. “Make 
yourself at home while I take off my hat and 
cloak. It does feel good to be at home,” and 
the dear old lady gave a sigh of relief as she 
looked in the mirror to arrange her wind- 
blown hair, 


PUSS WINS A RACE 


P USS, JUNIOR, was very much pleased 
with the little house, and presently he 
walked outside to look about. Mother 
Goose had plent^ to do after her long ab- 
sence, for the house was in some disorder 
owing to the fact that her son Jack was not 
a very orderly young man. 

Presently Puss heard him coming down- 
stairs. 

On seeing his mother, Jack threw his arms 
about her neck. “Glad you’re back, mother 
dear,” he cried, “for it was pretty lonely 
without you.” 

Mother Goose’s face beamed with pleasure. 
She was just going to scold him for sleeping 
so late, but instead she said: “And I’m glad 
to get home, Jack. I missed you,” and she 
gave him a kiss. 

At that moment Puss, Junior, passed by 
the window. 

“What’s that?” cried Jack, running to the 
door. “Why, mother, here’s a cat with 

131 


PUSS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON 


boots ! A dandy cat,” he added, as Puss came 
up and shook hands. 

“This is Puss in Boots, Junior,” said 
Mother Goose. “He’s on his way to find his 
father. I came across him many miles from 
here and offered to bring him to Mother 
Goose Land, for he tells me he has heard that 
his father, Puss in Boots, lives not far from 
the border land.” 

“I say, Mr. Puss,” cried Jack, “let’s have 
a race. I’m one of the best runners in school 
and maybe I can beat you.” 

“All right,” agreed Puss, Junior, “only I 
must run on my bare toes ; these boots are too 
heavy for a racer, you know.” 

“Yes, they’re all right for a traveler,” re- 
plied J ack, “but if you kept those on I’d beat 
you before you started.” 

Puss, Junior, smiled to himself. Jack was 
certainly a boaster, and Puss made up his 
mind that he would beat him just to teach him 
a good lesson. 

“We’ll start from this line,” said Jack, 
making a mark on the ground. “Whoever 
first touches that tree by the bridge wins.” 

“All right,” agreed Puss, and he took his 
stand on all fours by Jack’s side. 

132 


PUSS WINS A RACE 


“Hold on,” said Jack, “you can’t run on 
four feet. I’ve only got two.” 

Puss had not bargained for this. It was 
not difficult for him to walk in an upright 
position, but he did not feel so certain about 
running. 

“Come on,” said Jack, “you’re not afraid?” 

At once Puss, Junior, took an upright 
position by Jack’s side and waited for the 
signal. The little owl fired off his gun and 
away they went. 

Jack certainly knew how to run, hut Puss 
had made up his mind not to be beaten by a 
boy and just managed to reach the tree first. 
Jack looked somewhat chagrined oyer his 
defeat, but presently put out his hand and 
said, “I wish you’d come to school with me.” 

“I don’t believe I can,” replied Puss, “for I 
must be on my way to find my dear father.” 

And now, dear little boys and girls, we 
must close this book. Are you sorry that 
poor little Puss has not yet found his father? 
Well, perhaps he’ll find the famous old Puss 
in Boots in the next book. 

Never be discouraged, 

But try, try again, 

Even if the sunshine 
Often turns to rain. 


THE END 


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